STARWARS:LegacyEpisode1
by Sketkh
Summary: Its been over 2000 years after the Empire, The New Republic and the Jedi order are thriving. But after the rediscovery of the world Kamino and thier tribute of cloned Old republic Jedi and Senate dignitaries, the Universe may never be the same.FINISHED
1. CHAPTER 1

"This story is a Work of pure fan fiction and is in no way reflected or related to the focus George Lucas or his creations."  
  
By: Paullex "Sketkh" Lynch  
  
A long time ago, In a Galaxy far, far away.  
  
Main title [cue music]  
  
STAR WARS: LEGACY Episode I "A Vergence in the Force" It has been over Two-thousand years since the events of the Galactic battle against the Yuuzhan Vong. The New-Republic has grown Strong Over the past Two-millennia. But this has not been an easy path to cross. Wars have been fought, Governments have fallen, and The Jedi now equals one-fifth the population of all Republic space. But these great achievements may be put to the test. Currently the revered Jedi Master Yoda Skywalker, Descendent of the Jedi savior Luke Skywalker, has been sent on a mission to investigate the possibility of a Sith resurgence in the Unknown-Territory near the boarder of the Outer-Rim. Along with fellow master Chevacca, Yoda is sent to rendezvous with Jedi Master's Dorshe' Oden and Saliv Romdel, and his Padawan Grem Venad have been sent to accompany Master Yoda on his Deadly Mission. But little do our heroes know that their mission will be cut short, and The Galaxy may never be the same because of it.  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
The Jedi Star Cruiser "Everlasting" had just dropped out Hyperspace a few thousand yards from the New Republic star-station "Unity" which orbited Fregus-Prime, for one last re-supply before leaving the Mid- Rim. The Everlasting was also scheduled to pick-up three fellow Jedi to help Master Yoda Skywalker and Master Chevacca on their investigation of the Unknown-territory. Master Skywalker sat in the pilot's seat as oppose to the captains chair of the Everlasting. This was common place among his Jedi peers, as they all know it's very difficult to keep Master Skywalker in one place for long periods of time "because I need to keep my mind working through the force!" At least that's what he tells his fellow members of the Jedi Council. The main viewer which was built into the screen began to blink to greenish hue. Then the cockpit was filled with the soft but powerful roar of Chevacca. " Transmission from Unity Station Master Skywalker" One of the few Wookiees who can communicate to other species through the Force and while his groans resonated in your ears, in your mind each word came out as clear as binary suns of Tattoine. "Thank you Master Chevacca, put it on main viewer if you will" Yoda replied. The hairy, brown Jedi master lightly tapped the panel in front of him and the view of the star-station was replaced by the living portrait of a strong, exotic violet skinned female Twi'lek in a Republic commander's uniform, her attention diverted by computer panel containing that days station reports. "This is Commander Welora Neras, of the New Republic star- station: Unity. We've been expecting you Everlasting." She said in a fair but dominative tone. "Request permission to dock at best convenience commander." Yoda said in a clear neutral tone. "Docking Bay-7 is scheduled for your arrival, Everlasting. A team of re-supply engineers are prepared to get you well stocked and on your way." She replied. "Also, we have three Jedi, here awaiting you there." Yoda returned her statement with hospitality. "Thank you commander, I'm sure they brought no disruption to you and your crew." "On the contrary!" Her eyes lifted and met the Jedi's. "They have been quite. Helpful?" "Helpful?" the word sprung from under Chevacca's confused grow. This bewildered the two Jedi Master's, it was to their misconception that their colleagues Would likely have spent their time in meditation like most other Jedi, so as not to disturb the Unity's crew from any routine procedure. But Dorshe' Oden, who lead the band of Jedi on the mission to Fregus-Prime in order to settle a trade dispute between feuding clans, is well known in the order for her kindness and willingness to help those in need. A trait which Yoda thought made her the great Jedi that she is today. Knowing Dorshe' she probably insisted that she and Master Saliv Romdel along with his Padawan learner Grem Venad assist The Station's crew in some manner. He chuckled at the Image of the three Jedi, mopping the Captain's Lounge. "Hopefully they do the Jedi Order justice!" he smirked. "Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for these reports to be organized for my approval?" She Said, with her Silver eye's piercing into the Jedi master's. He humored her "I sure you will be most forthcoming with an answer." "Well needless to say, it's been long enough to make me a little uptight!" She exhaled, with a calming purple lipped smile. This brought joy to Master Skywalker's being. "Well I best get back to my reports" She leaned in, reaching her hand to a panel on her desk. "My hopes that your mission is a success." She almost tapped the panel which would have ended transmission but the commander added "Oh and Master Jedi?" Yoda replied "Yes Commander Neras?" "Pass along my thanks to Master Oden and her colleges for me, if you could?" He smiled "My pleasure Commander." She gave a small but hearty smile "Good day, to you Jedi Master" "May the Force be with you" Yoda returned, with his calm neutral tone.  
  
Then the commander tapped the panel on her desk, and the viewer returned overlook the open space between the Everlasting and the Republic Station. Plot a course to Docking Bay-7, if you will Master Chevacca. The Wookiee Jedi Gave Snorted "Aye-aye" and the Everlasting made a slow but safe dock, inside the immense artificial satellite. That's when the two Jedi masters felt it; a dark presence had come into existence like a drop juri of juice falling into a river. Where ever it came from they could not tell, but it was close. Yoda Shot Chevacca a glare and he knew that his partner felt it too. "Lock down main engineering" Yoda Ordered "Lets try to make this visit as short as possible."  
  
Dorshe' Oden could feel it as well, like a small tremor of electricity injected into her blood. It was a feeling which made her tan skin rise and her bright silver eyes grow wide. The dark haired Jedi was in the loading bay waiting for Everlasting to dock, just one level below the merging hatch of Docking Bay-7. It was a feeling of anger and hate she could not see where it was, but it was strong. Dorshe' looked too Saliv Romdel the Dark skinned, white haired Jedi master and Grem Venad his Vurk, Padawan standing behind her. "Saliv, Grem did you feel it too?" She thought out load to her companions. "Yes, Dorshe' it's somewhere close." Saliv Romdel is well known in the order for his efficiency in his manner of speech and his use of the force. "To the point!" she would use to describe her old friend. "What is our next course of action, Master Oden?" Grem Venad a blue skinned Vurk and Romdel's loyal apprentice asked with the up most politeness after the two master's had finished talking. "We need to get on board the Everlasting and regroup with Master Skywalker and Master Chevacca." She said firmly into the eyes of her fellow master and his Padawan. "The sooner the ship can get off this station the better; I feel that our friends onboard the Everlasting are as much aware of the situation as we are." The slender Jedi master would have continued on with her thought, but just then a small view-screen mounted into the metallic-red wall in front of her suddenly came to life. The picture of a pale awkward looking man in a republic officers' uniform, filled the once dead black screen. "Jedi Master Oden, the Jedi-cruiser 'Everlasting' has just docked with Unity station and requests that you and your associates board the ship immediately." The man said with an even more awkward voice. "Thank you" She replied. Then the screen went black again. "Lets get going" She ordered then hit a panel on the wall next to the entry hall for the merging hatch. Then the three Jedi hurried to their vessel.  
  
Yoda waited in front of the Everlastings docking hatch while Chevacca over saw the resupply in the loading bay with the dark presence known. They could not take the chance that sabotage could be possible. A red light blinked signifying that Dorshe' and the others were on their way. Yoda pressed a key on the panel in front of him shot open and he was relieved to see his three fellow Jedi standing before him where the hatch once was. "It is good to see you all well!" he said with nothing less of joy, but there was danger near no time for reunion now. "We need to secure the ship, a cloud of darkness has crossed our path. Master Chevacca is in the loading bay over seeing the resupply in the cargo holds. Master Romdel, you and your apprentice are to secure the lower decks, if you should encounter anything. Master Oden and I will be on the main bridge keeping communications open on all through the ship and the engine ready for immediate departure if necessary. Once we leave Unity station we may not be out of danger, so once we leave I will give the order and you all are to meet with us on the bridge when the situation is best deemed safe any questions?" Master Skywalker waited a moment for possible inquiries. He could sense the patience Grem held inside himself waiting for the masters to speak before he would let himself. Yoda admired the Vurks conviction to being respectful towards his elders. "Did I just call myself old?" Yoda thought. He didn't want to have the Padawan wait any more than his morals would let him. He looked up to the seven foot Vurk. "Is there anything you would like to ask, young Padawan?" Yoda said in a tone to make clear he knew he did indeed wish too ask. The look Master Skywalker gave Grem was a wake-up call to the apprentice, he took a moment then held his head up higher than needed considering his height advantage over the Jedi masters in his presence. The question was not an easy one to ask, despite the masters in his company. "Master Skywalker, is there any possible way that our current crisis is related to our mission?" he said calmly. "What you really mean to say is 'are the Sith responsible for the vergence in the Force' young learner." Saliv said to his apprentice, having known him long enough to understand what he truly meant. The tall reptile replied. "Yes, master." In a tone trying to display that he hated it when his master did that. Then the realization of that fact hit the Jedi like a large current reaching shore, calm but a power in its own right. It was silent for a moment, but it was broken by Master Skywalker's even more powerful voice. "Well young Venad we will soon find that out won't we!" 


	2. CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2  
  
Master Chevacca made sure no time was wasted loading supplies to the Everlasting's Cargo bays. His presence among the resupply crew, forced them to work faster than even he expected. Nothing more motivating than an eight foot Wookiee in Jedi robes with a lightsabre. The Jedi master knew he was intimidating the resupply crew below him on the loading bay, normally he would reassure the people around him by filling them with calm sensations through the force. But in this case he would let their fear serve him. "Work quicker, please!" the Jedi master asked toward the Unity's crew. They could understand his request through his use of the Force, but they could also hear the powerful roar of a Wookiee, and they did not want to upset a Jedi, let alone a Wookiee Jedi! The next thing master Chevacca heard was the hurrying steps of the resupply crew on the loading bay's metallic floor. Chevacca then tapped the panel on the wall next to him, knowing very well that he couldn't speak through the comm. system without the assistance of the Everlasting's translation matrix. He hailed the Bridge. "Master Skywalker" He roared. "I believe we will be ready for departure in less than fifteen minutes." Then the natural voice of Yoda replied. "Good to hear Master Chevacca, I will make the necessary preparations. Please inform me again when the resupply has ceased." "Aye" the Wookiee replied, and then returned to securing the cargo bay.  
  
The slender pale man had worked his hover troy into the cargo hold unseen by the furry Jedi on the observation platform above. Jiles Oiket knew the Jedi onboard this ship, knew that something evil was afoot, but they had no idea that it was indeed himself. It was so simple for him, he felt no challenge in the task given to him. All he had to do was sneak aboard Unity station as a new recruit on a reassignment some two days prior, and await the Jedi cruiser, then sabotage the vessel. Which was so conceiving easy too Jiles, he had taken so many lives before, but this was the first time his master ordered him to take any action against the Jedi. He would let nothing obstruct his path of destruction. Not even his pride, once out of view of the Wookiee and the loading crew in the small cargo hold. Jiles quickly removed the paneling on the wall hidden by large barrels. He had spent so much time analyzing the schematics of this class of vessel that he could literally take it apart without the use of his hands, but that would give away the dark apostles position, and it took most of his energy masking his presence from the Jedi to begin with. Stealth would be his ally, he would need to first reroute the security sensors from detecting his individual bio-signature then create a whole new subroutine to prevent the Jedi from detecting his tampering. He worked hastily, not wasting so much as breath on each crossing of a wire, or slipping of a circuit, but then he could feel the hum of another troy getting closer on the steel floor. So in a desperate course of action, Jiles reached out to the near edge of the dark-side, only needing a little push to throw the troy off balance and spill over the troy. A large crash soon followed, then the cry of a helpless crewwomen underneath the crates. The "Aagh!" he heard from the loading bay, second only by the pattering of boots on the metallic floor, rushing to help their injured comrade. The Dark one used this distraction to his benefit, he sparked the last wired, returned the paneling to its place in the wall then crawled into a nearby maintenance hatch to continue with his objective. Meanwhile in the loading bay, Chevacca felt a great pain come over him from the loading bay below. Wishing to waste no time to offer assistance, he leaped over the railing of the observation platform some twelve-feet above. His feet made a firm but loud landing on the steel floor of the loading deck. Then he could see the source of the pain in one of the hallways leading to the one of several cargo bays. He worked his way calmly towards the disabled crewwoman. Try as they might her comrades in uniforms could not successfully remove all of the large crates off her legs with out causing more damage to the poor female's already crippled body. Standing before the group of able beings, feeling their concern for their friend in need he asked them with a calm quite moan. "Please allow me to help her!" the voice filled their minds with feelings of relaxation. They slowly, but acceptingly stepped back per the Jedi's request. Chevacca then took one step closer and bent on one knee to the side of the trapped officer. Placing one furry paw to wipe away the tears of pain in her eyes and then putting it squarely on her forehead. "What is your name young lady?" the thought entered her already dazed mind. "Kiwon" She weakly responded. "Sallen Kiwon, how can I hear you speaking to me?" "That is not important now. All that matters at the time is your well being." He then filled her mind with pleasant sensations to take Sallen away from the pain that engulfed her body. Just relax let the Force take you away! She could hear in the recesses of her mind. Then raising his other paw, Chevacca lifted the crates with the Force, as if they were feathers caught in an updraft the crates flew into the cargo bay and landed into their desired position, stacked in a corner. The on looking crew of the Unity was amazed, some had never seen a Jedi before, and others who had never saw them do such magic. Chevacca could sense their aw at this sorcery but he kept his focus on the still crippled officer. He lowered the paw he used to move the crates and held just over the crushed bones in her legs. Chevacca knew, if she were moved their would be no saving them and while the Unity's medical staff could clone new shins for Sallen, the Jedi master would rather not put her through the pain of learning to walk on new limbs. He had been there before and wished it on no person. Through the Force Chevacca, focused in deep meditation, with eyes closed he gathered strength from the Force. Sallen wrenched at the slight burning, she could feel in her disabled limbs, but the Jedi held her true pain in himself, so as not to alleviate her calm state. Then using all his power, he knitted the bones, mended the muscles, and slowly but surely the leg began to reform to its original shape in Sallen's blood soaked pants uniform. There is no suffering only the Force. Chevacca filled these words of truth into the mind of the Sallen Kiwon, as the final healing came to its end. While they were not completely healed, the exhausted Jedi master knew she would not need to replicate new legs. Chevacca then opened his eyes, and looked down at the human woman in his arms. Tears having scarred her face, he once again filled her mind with his comforting words. "You will be alright Sallen" then gave her a smile, something the young woman thought she would never see a Wookiee capable of doing. The silence among the crew was broken when one of the crew members called for a Medical team through a panel on a wall in the loading deck. "Medics to loading deck, in Docking Bay-7, Crewwoman Kiwon has been injured. Then the Wookiee laid the poor officer on the floor gently. "T-thank you." She muttered, but the Jedi master reassured her once more. "Don't thank me, thank the Force." Then using his skills once again, Chevacca placed Sallen in a deep slumber. "Go with the Force, Sallen Kiwon." Then, as three republic officers, dressed in blue over- garments rushed on to the loading deck to attend to unconscious crewwoman, Chevacca made his way to a comm. panel on the far wall of the ships cargo bay. He tapped it with one paw.  
  
"Master Chevacca to the Bridge," the mechanical voice filled the small metallic control room. Master Oden responded while Yoda was busy prepping the engines. "Master Oden here, what's your concern? She questioned. The cold voice replied for the Wookiee. "No concern now just thought I would let you know all is under control." This statement caught Yoda and Dorshe' off guard, they looked to each other as if one of them could explain the others puzzlement. Master Yoda pulled away from what he was doing just before Chevacca hailed the bridge, then tapped the comm. panel on the console to his right between himself and the Orveasian Jedi. "What was there to put back in control?" he questioned. The computer voice then replied once more. "The accident on the loading deck, did you not pick up what happened on the internal sensors?" "No Chevacca, nothing, what happened?" "One of the hover troys malfunctioned and its load collapsed on top one of the crewwomen, she was in distress for a few minutes and while the crew did take sometime to offer her assistance. I would just like you to know that we are well underway again." This fact did not settle easily in Yoda's or Dorshe's mind. They knew the sensors picked up no such event. The readouts were right in front of them, something happened a few moments ago in the loading deck, but the sensors only now did pick up the medical crew entering the Everlastings cargo bay and taking away the disabled officer. This fact alone was unsettling itself but the fact that Master Oden or Master Skywalker could not sense the pain of the injured woman until Chevacca had mentioned it. Yoda gave Dorshe' a steel cold stare, and she returned it with a confirming nod. He then reached down and tapped the panel once more. "Chevacca, inform the resupply crew that we need them to work quicker, we may need to leave sooner than expected." He said in a tone conveying caution. The computer translation responded "I understand, Chevacca out!"  
  
With that said, Master Skywalker closed his eyes, and then reached out to Master Romdel, and his student knowing that if his instincts were true, he couldn't risk using the Everlastings comm. system. Saliv, Grem can you hear me? Yes. The Jedi master answered. I can hear you, Master Skywalker. Romdel's Padawan responded. Master Skywalker cut to the chase. I believe we have an intruder onboard.  
  
Jiles had made it to the maintenance hatch that led him straight to the engineering room, just has he had planned; he first looked to the main access hatch to the dimly lit room. Then he reached into his uniform jacket and pulled out a small prominently black cylinder. Jiles closed his eyes, reached into the dark side, so as not to be detected. He only sensed as far as the other side of the door. Nothing, he thought to himself, and with a smirk he tapped the activation button on his weapon, then the snap-hiss of the lightsabre filled his ears. The crimson blade came to life, and its emissions colored the walls in proximity. The tip of the lightsabre just barley touched the slit between the two haves of the circular entry way. Molten alloy soon seeped from the door as Jiles guided his sword across the cracks of the hatch. Once down he would not have to worry of the Jedi trying to interfere with his mission, but first he would need to find the droid station. After his lightsabre made swift work of the steel door, he retracted the blade and returned the cylinder onto his belt. Jiles Oiket found his way onto the droid recharge station, just below the engine level. All twelve astromech-droids were in their designated charging ports. So many to choose from, the dark one thought to him. He soon leaned down to the droid closest to his left and read the inscription on the blue and white astromech's registration as if it made any difference. "R2-D2" he whispered for his own satisfaction. "You will serve my master well little one!" Jiles then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small circular object no bigger than a centimeter and placed it onto the sleeping droid's silver dome. The tiny devise then secured itself onto the unexpecting R2, and began to blink its little red light. Now that his primary task was taken care of he could now fulfill the rest of his mission. "Soon the Jedi will feel the power of true hate!"  
  
Master Chevacca made his way to the bridge, once the resupply crew had finished. He swept the cargo bay, to see if he could find any clues to the disturbance he and his colleagues felt. What he found did not sit easy in his mind, and he did not wish to hail the bridge. Instead he would convene with master Skywalker and Master Oden on the bridge. He walked up to the entry hatch to the Everlastings command center and the doors hissed open. Yoda rotated his seat towards Chevacca, he knew his friend had discovered something. "What did you uncover Chevacca?" "A hover troy abandoned by a member of the resupply crew in cargo deck-9." Master Oden shared her thought on this. "Could the troy have been left behind by one of the officers, when their comrade was hurt, the device might have slipped his or her mind?" "I had hoped it was as much." He stated in an unnerving tone, so as to let his fellow Masters know the situation was not so simple. "I felt a presence on that cargo, then I discovered that one of the engineering panels in that room had been tampered with so as to omit an individual bio-signature from our internal sensors." "That dose explain, why our scanners could not pick up anything in the loading deck." Dorshe' injected. "The internal sensors couldn't pick up anything if they were being tampered with. The culprit must have used the accident in the loading deck as a distraction so he or she could access the ship's computer without being found out." "This is most disturbing" Master Skywalker interrupted. "Did you lock down the cargo bay Chevacca?" "Yes." The furry Jedi responded. "Good, Master Oden, hail Unity docking control. Inform them that we will be leaving as soon as possible." This request befuddled Dorshe'. "Master Skywalker, wouldn't it be more sensible to ask assistance from Unity station's security crew?" "If this intruder did indeed get aboard this ship disguised as an officer, then it should be no more difficult for them to get off this ship as a member of the security crew." The truth was an impact upon Oden's original thought. "If this menace gets off this ship there is no telling what kind of havoc they could reek out there impostering as a Republic officer, or who knows what else?" His words were true; this is why Yoda Skywalker is on the High Council. "We need to find this person, confront and question their motives. We can't do that if they return to Unity Station. We must undock before this dark one can escape." Master Chevacca looked at Master Skywalker cock-eyed. "Are you sure this being is a disciple of the Dark-side?" "How else could we explain the dark presence so close to ourselves, but yet so unseen." Once again his truth was piercing to even the tall, powerful Jedi. Master Skywalker turned to Dorshe' "Master Oden hail Unity Station, Master Chevacca, help Master Romdel and his Padawan search for this Dark-one, and exercise caution. The Jedi Masters did not respond to their orders simply acted on them, so as to not waste any more time. Chevacca exited the Bridge, in search of the intruder at large. Master Oden tapped the comm. panel. "Jedi-cruiser: Everlasting, at Docking Bay-7 hailing Docking Port- control requesting immediate permission to depart from Unity Station." Dorshe' asked as politely as possible, given the situation. A sly voice responded. "Party not over as soon as you liked, aye Everlasting." Dorshe' had little patience for the docking officer's dry humor. "I have no time for small talk Unity, I need to leave, Now!" The Docking officer quickly got the point. "I-ah, understand e-Everlasting, you are permitted to depart from Unity Station!" Then he cut off the transmission. Yoda gave her an awkward stare, with an eyebrow raised. "Not very lady like, not much like a Jedi come to think of it." He smirked. She smiled despite the circumstances. "Well let's just say I'm not the average lady." She began to plot a course in the computer. ".nor the average Jedi." She then requested the coordinates to Master Skywalker's desired destination. "Set a course to the Outer rim, through the Rishi Maze." "Done, ready to jump to hyperspace on your order, Yoda." He glared into to the view-screen, out into the open space. "Engage" and soon after his words echoed in his ears, the stars rushed past the Everlasting, and was surrounded by the glow of sub-space. 


	3. CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3  
  
Master Romdel, and his apprentice Venad, quietly made their way slowly down deck 4, each prepared to face the unexpected. Their silence was broken as the Everlasting shook as it crossed the hyperspace barrier. "Master Saliv, did you feel that?" "Yes, we must have entered hyperspace." The Jedi spoke calmly, so as to ease his Padawan's tension. "Breathe my young friend, if you don't inhale soon, it will make no difference whether or not you're inside or outside of the hull." Romdel's student then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry my Master, I let my emotions get the better of me." Grem exhaled. "No need to apologize, just remember to let your feelings guide you, not control you! "Yes my Master." He said contently, but still grateful for his teacher's wisdom inside. Then Grem's powerful resonating chamber, heard the steps of something getting close. "Master someone is coming towards us." His tension rose again, so much that Grem's three fingered hand grasped at the lightsabre, attached to his belt. Saliv grabbed his Padawan's arm before he could do anything rash, before he knew who was around the corner. "Chevacca, stop frightening my apprentice and show yourself." Master Chevacca stood down the hall, and then approached his fellow force users. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten anyone, but I needed to find you so I could inform you two of our current situation." This brought a look of confusion to the faces of both the Master and the Padawan. "You couldn't use the comm. system, or even the Force to contact us?" Romdel inquired. "If the intruder onboard were to overhear our plan there is no telling what trouble could arise!" This did not extinguish Saliv and Grem's confused looks. "Intruder?" the student questioned. "Yes." The Wookiee answered. "Master Skywalker believes someone has disguised them self as a Republic officer, and snuck onboard the Everlasting, in an attempt to keep us from completing our mission." Then the only human of the trio interrupted. "But who could do such a thing, let alone be capable of such a feat." And then he knew what his Padawan already did. "The Sith!" Grem filled with tension again, but this time he had it under his own control refusing to be overwhelmed by the emotions of fear. For this, Saliv was most proud of his student the most, not his sparring with the lightsabre, not his use of the Force but control of his passions. Saliv looked up to Chevacca "What are our orders?" "I'm to assist you in searching the ship, when we encounter the intruder we are to face him or her, and then investigate any possible sabotage he may have inflicted." And then it hit them, like a window opened during a snowstorm. They felt a dark presence emanating from. "Main Engineering!" Saliv shouted, and the Three Jedi bolted to the deck below.  
  
Jiles knew it would be a matter of time before the Jedi would reach them. With his cloak lifted. He could sense them as easily as he let them sense him. Three on their way and two other's on the Bridge. This is too simple he thought. All I have to do is.He was cut off by the sound of not two, but three lightsabres piercing through the alloy of the entry hatch. Jiles had to work quicker or he might not be able to save his own hide this time. But that was difficult when there are three beings on the other side of the door carrying blue, yellow, and violet blades ready to run you through when they get in.  
  
Try as they might the three Jedi warriors had not even made it half way through the door, even with their combined lightsabres. The engineering hatch was still too strong, to damage quickly. The door was made to withstand a hyperdrive explosion after all. But Chevacca, Saliv and his apprentice were not about to give up. A voice came over the comm. panel near the door outside the engineering room. It was the voice of Master Skywalker. "Saliv, Chevacca. Grem, have you encountered the Sith yet?" Grem being the closest to the panel tapped the control receiver. Master Saliv answered, knowing it would take a little too long to translate Chevacca's speech pattern. "We have discovered the Sith on the engineering deck, but he has managed to seal off the entry hatch. We are currently cutting through the door but its taking too much time, he could escape in one of the lifepods." "I've got that taken care of!" With that said Master Skywalker tapped a few controls on the console in front of him. Then tapped the comm. panel once again, routing the transmission to the Droid recharge station. "All astromechs activate!" then the droid station was filled with the lively sounds of the awakened astromechs even the sabotaged R2-D2. But all the beeps, and boops were cut off by their master's voice. "All astromechs, security procedure 12-beta-F, engage." Then as if their little lives depended on it the droids spun off to all the different levels of engineering some locking out access to the maintenance hatches, others shutting off all the control consoles, and some others even extracting their laser emitters and shooting at the villain. This lead Jiles to extract his weapon, and deflect the blasts, some of which actually hit a few of the droids, but when he realized that he might harm his booby-trapped droid, he knew he could do nothing more but rely on R2 too finish his dirty work. And I was looking forward to facing some Jedi. He thought to himself as he fled to a nearby lifepod on the lower level. A voice filled his head. Your time will come Oiket, you will face the Jedi soon but not today, understood! "Yes Master." He responded out loud as he released the switch which would gain him access to the closest lifepod. but Jiles was almost yielded by a small gold and green astromech blocking his path to freedom. He made quick work of the poor droid not even bothering to acknowledge the units existence. He just walked by the droid, took one swipe through the astromech, and then continued to step into the lifepod as the robot fell to the floor in two.  
  
"We're almost through Master" grunted Grem. His violet blade almost finishing his work on the engineering hatch. "Just a little more Padawan!" then with one last great push against his lightsabre's hilt they were down. Then Chevacca stood before the door, and with one swift kick, the door was no longer an obstacle and the three Jedi rushed through their new opening. Running past the wreckage of busted droids, and falling parts left by deflected laser fire. The Sith was nowhere in sight which meant he had found his way to a lifepod and unfortunately their instincts had been right. All they could find of the assailant, was an empty lifepod port. Saliv reached for the nearest comm. panel. "Yoda, Dorshe' can you hone in on the lifepod's homing beacon?" "Regretfully no" Master Oden answered. "The Sith warrior took it off line, before the pod exited hyperspace." "We have no way no way of finding the culprit, he's gone" Master Skywalker added. This upset the Jedi who tried so hard to apprehend the villain. "Why don't you three investigate the damage and make your way to the Bridge. We have another mission to complete, let the astromechs clean up the mess down there." He ended in a tone of empathy. "We will do our best, Saliv out." The warriors of light gathered themselves, taking joy in that no lives were lost today and they all began to search for any sign of malfunction. But little did they know that there was no sabotage conducted on the Everlasting, but instead on its most reliable droid R2-D2.  
  
* * *  
  
Jiles Oiket was satisfied with the over-all success of his mission, but he could do without the part were he is stuck in a lifepod, in the middle of empty space waiting for his colleagues to come rescue him. He then reached out with the Dark side, an was filled with rage at what he found. You can take the ship out of cloak now, I know you are there. He thought out through the Dark side while he looked out the view-port to his left. Just thought you would like a little more quality time to yourself, Jiles. That's all! He heard in the recess of his mind. Bretew, you had better uncloak that ship and tow me in or so help Me! I will call on every power I have too. Alright, alright! Give me a minute. At that moment, a large formidable, black ship appeared from the stars, not far from the lifepod. The ship was a solid structure, the wings were built into the body and arched forward almost in front of the main hull itself. Giving the ship a grim feeling of lifelessness, while also imitating some horrifying creature. A hanger door opened underneath the belly of the beast, and a tow-beam emitted from its dark core pulled the lifepod toward the creature, as if it were consuming some small wounded prey. The pod eventually found its way into the hanger, and as the bay doors closed behind it the tow-beam then extinguished. Jiles managed to force the Pod's upper hatch open, only to be greeted by the insolate Bretew. "Bumpy ride, Jiles?' he said with a satisfying smirk. "Shut-up! You excuse for a pile of Bantha poodoo" Jiles truthfully mocked. "Has the Master transmitted her orders yet?" he got to the point as he dropped from the top of the life saving shell. "Yes, she did" Bretew stated as if to truly say I know something you don't know! Jiles hated it when he acted like a child. "Well? What are the Master's orders?" he almost resorted to pulling out his sabre. Bretew finally answering his exasperated cohort. "We are to track the Jedi to their destination to the unknown-territory, once past the Mid-rim we are to Jam their transmitters, and then destroy their ship using your defected droid then we will. "Past the Mid-rim? But, by the Jedi's heading, they will be nowhere near the Unknown-territory until they go past the Outer-rim in that direction. Are you sure that those are the Master's orders. The stocky built Nikto handed him a portable view-panel so he could read that Master's orders, word-for-word. "Why would he want us to activate our droid agent when they are in the Mid-rim? And why when they reach this specific point?" "I have no Idea either Jiles, but at this rate the Jedi will be over those coordinates soon, so if we wish to please the Master then we best do as she demands. For once Jiles heard Bretew make sense. So he raised his right arm in front of his chest and ripped back the sleeve of his now useless Republic uniform, to reveal his control collar. Jiles then tapped five simple bottons in an unexplainable patter to Bretew. "There, it is done." Jiles stated with a wicked smile. "Plot a parallel course to that of the Jedi's then transmit a message to the Master. Tell her that the saboteur's orders have been sent and that we are currently pursuing the Everlasting. Soon these Jedi will fall, and the Sith will claim victory in the name of Master Helzias." Bretew then typed down Jiles words on the panel and gave a sly chuckle. "He-he, he."  
  
The five Jedi beings manned their respective stations aboard the Everlastings Bridge. Each with their own duties, Yoda at the Helm, Dorshe' at navigation, Chevacca ironically at the communications console. Saliv was running diagnostics over all the ship's system incase they over looked something the Sith left behind for the Jedi. While Grem oversaw the external sensors incase they should encounter anymore enemy forces. Unbeknownst to all of them that deep with in the bowels of the Jedi-cruiser all remaining astromech units lie in their recharge ports after their clean, and repair procedures in Main- engineering, except for R2-D2. The ever reliable droid, who had handed down the Skywalker for over two millennia, a true testament to dedication and commitment to Yoda's heritage, had been busy keeping up routine maintenance work. Having been upgraded so many times over the past Two-thousand years that even the little droid, with a big heart was surprised at his own commitment to such simple duties. But soon enough he would not be the same R2, which the Skywalker line had grown to love so much. The white and blue droid felt a surge a electricity overcome his circuits. Now controlled by the implanted object upon his silver dome, and he was no longer the lovable little droid, but instead an agent of darkness. With one mission, disable the Everlasting just before it passes over a forgotten solar system, so a task force of smugglers hired by the Sith could destroy the out numbered Jedi-vessel and no one else would know better. The droid had worked his way into the Hyperdrive control room. There he accessed the star-thrust control, and with one snip of the white wire near the primary fusion coil. The Everlasting was flung out of Hyperspace and sent into a violent tumble 


	4. CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4  
  
"Stabilizing thrusters at maximum!" Master Skywalker shouted, bracing himself with his control console. Dorshe' quickly pounded the elevation control panel, so as not to waste a life clinging moment to get the ship back in balance. Then slowly but surely, the Everlasting, yielded, and placed itself in a level position, as if it made a difference in the empty abyss of space. "We're stationary Yoda." She stated taking in a deep breathe. "What happened, why did we leave hyperspace?" the young Grem expelled with a shocked curiosity, not caring much for courtesy this time around. Saliv's voices responded his Padawan's question. "Our star-thrust controller has malfunctioned, but how?" but then Master Romdel realized just how, "the Sith." "But the Sith villain couldn't have done anything to our hyperdrive, we checked Main engineering from top to bottom." But it was the Sith Somehow they new he had sabotaged the Everlasting without the Jedi knowing any better. "I'm going down to the Engineering deck, Dorshe' you have the Bridge!" "As you order!" she took a moment before he had stepped up to the exit-hatch. "Master Skywalker?" He turned and looked to the attractive Jedi master. "Yes, Master Oden?" He pointed his deep blue eyes to meet the wide silver eyes of Dorshe' Oden. "Try your best to leave Main engineering in one piece!" They shared a smirk, and Yoda then exited the Bridge. All that was said after that, before returning to their duties came from Chevacca's respectful quite roar. "Five credits, he blows a hole in portside!" Dorshe' brushed that thought away and began to take charge. She rotated her seat towards the view-screen in front of her as a sensation of danger came over her being. "Grem, are there any signs of a large group of ships in this system?" The blue Vurk looked down at his sensor console, he glanced between visual, and mathematical readouts. "I'm not picking up any ships in the area, I can't even identify this system as far as my readouts are. wait a minute." The young reptile increased his scanners to pick up the ion trails left by most ships, he was forced to confirm Master Oden's instincts. "I'm detecting about seven.no eight vessels, just behind a small moon less than a marsec from our current position." "Have they detected us yet Grem?" "No Master Oden, but I do believe they are waiting for us!" "How so young apprentice?" Chevacca prodded. "They are in a formation that would be classified as a standard ambush position" Saliv Romdel held a small smile on his face, the kind of smile a father would have for a son, who just learned how to sight a mathematical equation and then solve it all on his own. "Also their scanners our set in a perimeter encompassing the moons orbit. If we cross their perimeter, they will strike, that and I have a bad feeling about that moon!" "Very good Young Padawan" Dorshe's complement bringing a smile to Grem's face "Very good indeed!" Saliv added, looking his apprentice in the eye, only enhancing his student's wide smirk "What is our next course of action Master Oden?" the Wookiee's words filled minds of the three other Jedi. "I have an idea, but we are going to need to access the lifepod control subroutines. Chevacca, locate and hail Master Skywalker."  
  
It didn't take long for Master Skywalker to reach Engineering deck. Using the force Yoda increased his speed immensely and in no time at all, he stood before the newly constructed entry hatch. Have Force, will travel! He thought to himself with only a hint of sarcasm. He tapped the access panel just to the left of the hatch, and the steel red wall. "Crngh-Hiss" the sound of the new but still defected door, filled Yoda's ears. He took no less than three steps until the hatch fell-shut with a great "Clunk!", as it gave in to its own weight. He looked for the malfunction, but brought his eyes down to find a tiny astromech, but not just any astromech, It was his faithful friend. "R2?" he was caught off guard by his presence. "Why aren't you in you recharge port?" he looked his metal companion square in the eye, that's when he new something was amiss. "R2, are you alright?" That's when the droid, sprung open the hatch to his laser emitters, this most definitely caught the Jedi master off guard. "Oh-oh!" The droid fired viscously, without emotion despite that fact that this was his Master. Yoda yanked his lightsabre from his belt, then ignited its green blade. He did his best to maneuver and deflect around the blasts without causing to much damage to the engineroom. Yoda jumped from level to level in the large metallic space, using the random fixtures to his advantage. Hanging from maintenance hatches, tossing loose parts from the prior event with the force in hopes of wounding the blue and white astromech. But the droid blasted them with sufficient ease. Poodoo! ,Yoda thought, why did I have to upgrade his targeting sensors too? But it wasn't until, Skywalker landed on a railing to the upper level, then he noticed the small blinking object on his beloved little friends dome. "A Manipulator!" so that's why R2 is attacking him, that explained why the Everlasting abruptly lost control, and fell out into normal space again. "The Sith must have done this to you my friend! He also used you to sabotage our ship. Well no longer!" Yoda jumped down, landing directly in front of the R2-unit once again. The droid shot once aimless blast toward the Jedi's shoulder while he took a moment to gather his circuits to attack him once more with full onslaught, but one shot was all Yoda needed. He raised his sabre in his right hand at an angle so as to deflect the first blast back at the droids' dome, just grazing his shell, but destroying the Manipulator. The astromech simply stood there for a minute. Frozen in time while the Manipulator's control subroutines washed away from R2's programming. Then as if to shake off a bad hangover. The droid rotated his dome from right to left, and proceeded to conceal his weapons back into his shell. "Feeling better R2?" The little robot, reluctantly responded. "Beeperooo!" "Well good, just be thankful no one was hurt, any idea what you did to the Hype." the dark blonde Jedi was caught off by Dorshe's familiar voice, projected via the Everlasting's internal comm. system. "Is everything alright down there Master Skywalker, we detected laser fire in Main engineering." "Situation under control Dorshe', the Sith planted a Manipulator on R2, and he lost control of himself." "Is he okay" Master Oden knowing very well how much that droid meant to Yoda, let alone how R2 stood as a testament to immortality. "He's fine now just, just a couple scrapes and bruises." He chuckled as he padded R2-D2 on his new battle scar. "Anything else Master Dorshe'?" "Unfortunately." She switched from concern for R2 and to the matter at hand. "On the other side of a moon, about a marsec away from our current position, there is a fleet consisting of eight varying ships. Master Romdel believes them to be a small fleet of smugglers and his Padawan believes they are preparing to ambush us." Master Skywalker looked up at the nearest ceiling as if he expected Dorshe' to be there and see his confused expression. "So why don't we just leave the system at repulse until we get the Hyperdrive repaired?" "Grem believes that if we show any sign, that we know the smugglers position. They would come after us any way." Skywalker took a moment to admire the student's obvious observation. "Any plans, as to how we should handle this threat?" "Yes, but you will need to make your way to back to the bridge, we will need to use the force together in order to accomplish this. Skywalker replied understanding what Dorshe' truly meant. "Understood I will be there in a moment, Yoda out!" He turned to R2, shooting him a cocked eyebrow. "Come you, no telling what other kinds of trouble you could land yourself into alone." The droid returned with a grumbling whistle. "Lets go, R2!" Yoda ordered and R2 leaned back on the axis connecting his body an his two legs, and released a third leg from the bottom of his round torso, and then elevated himself on the three wheels which were contained in those limbs. Then eagerly followed his master to all the excitement.  
  
* * *  
  
Mortep stood there on the Bridge of the "Lucky Bantha", Arguing to the holo-projection of his employer, Jiles Oiket now dawned in his more comforting black robes. "I understand what we're being paid to do!" Mortep pulled out a rustic old touch panel, and read from his contract placed on its cracked screen. ".when encountering the Jedi- cruiser 'Everlasting', upon its arrival in the The Kamino systemsystem. The combined fleet-for-hire, headed by Mortep Kuga, are under the direct orders of its employer to destroy the ship by any means necessary, under the strict parameters that the Everlasting's destruction look accidental." The life-size hologram stared back at Mortep with a confused look. "Yes? So what else do you wish for?" "More money!" The large Weequay demanded. "More money! This fleet has been hiding behind this moon in this lost star-system, for over three days!" "I assure the Jedi-ship should be appearing on your sensors soon." "Forget the Jedi, as far as I'm concerned I don't give the order to fire, on any ship until I, and my crew get paid!" He stood closer to the Holo-projection, piercing the eyes of the artificial Jiles. Almost as if, by intimidation, he would actually hand Mortep ,his money. Jiles was unbroken with his arms crossed, he seemed as if he were going the respond to Mortep's threat, but his transmission was cut off. "Aahg, Rancor's Hide!, Platog! We lost the communi." he was cut off by the reactivation of the Holo-projector. Only this time it wasn't Jiles's image that emanated from the machine. Instead it was the image of a small cloaked figure, a female figure from what Mortep could tell by the sight of her uncovered hands. "Who Daf's name are you?" Mortep spitefully grunted. "I'm your true employer" She said seductively. "Well good then, maybe you can help me wit." "Maybe you can do as your ordered!" She threw back in his face. "If I paid you for anything else useful, besides destroying the Jedi. Then you would be right here, scrubbing my windows!" Her eyes began to burn red with anger even that Projected through the image. "Now just do as our contract dictates, and we will talk about any other financial issues once you have completed your job. Unless you prefer to spend the rest of your days washing transparent steel! then." "No, no I will follow my contract to its end!" he injected before the dark woman went any farther. "Good, I will await my pupil's report once you inform him of the Jedi's unfortunate demise." The holo-projector, shut off, and Mortep took a deep breath in. it was only a projection! He thought. But I still felt like I met death, even I'm not stupid enough to deny death.  
  
"Platog, hail the other ships!, tell them to break orbit. The ambush is on, we are going to hunt down those Jedi!" "Aye-Aye! Mortep." the eager to please Dug, tapped the controls to signal the other ship's with Mortep's orders. That's when the Lucky- Bantha's scanners picked up a signature. "Mortep, I'm picking something up on the sensors." "Is it the Everlasting?" "I' don't think so? Its far to small, and moving incredibly fast, and its being followed by several other, similar objects at equal pace." "Well then what are they?" Mortep grew impatient. "I don't know."Platog's eyes widened. "but they are heading straight for us, on an impact course!" Mortep tapped a panel on his command chair behind him. "All hands! Brace for." Mortep was knocked off balance by an explosion from the deck below and sent careening into his command chair. Eventually meeting his face to the floor, only to be interrupted by the sound of Platog's groggy voice. "Mortep, scanners are down." Platog now sitting back in his chair, utilizing all four of his limbs.".Along with communications, we are separated from the rest fleet." "Forget about the fleet for now!" He injected. "what hit us?" The dug looked down at the sensor readout just before the impact. "From, what I can gather, anything from a proton pulse, to an asteroid." "Is the View-screen operational?" Mortep asked as he collected himself into his command chair. "Barely." He puffed. "Give me what you have then!" Mortep would regret those words. For what he saw made him wish they were bombarded by asteroids. "A republic fleet!" he quenched. Then Mortep counted his opposition. three Destroyers, four Battleships, and one Dreadnaught. "A Dreadnaught?" His fleet of smuggler's were no match for the Republic Dreadnaught alone. "Do we have shields or weapons?" How the Weequay could even think of going against this was idiotic to begin with. "No, but if we leave soon we still might have our hyperdrive before they can fire another bombardment!" Platog not even bothering to hint at the distress of the trap they nursed themselves into. "Fine! Set course for the Umgul sector. If the others know what's good for them. They'd best meet back at to rendezvous point." Mortep looked out the view screen once more, and he couldn't help but wonder how the Republic fleet had found them out. "Engage!" and with that said the Lucky-Bantha disappeared into the stars.  
  
Grem overlooked the senor readouts that appeared on the screen in front of him, then over to the visual display. The lead ship had left that was a good start but would the others.wait yes! He thought in jubilation, their plan worked. All the smuggler ships had been scared away from the system. Master Dorshe's scheme had succeeded. While Grem launched the lifepods from the Everlastings's hull with Sensor beacons inside each of the tiny crafts, to fool the smuggler's scanners. Master Saliv and the others would combine their powers and mask the lifepods as a different battleship then projecting those images into their minds. Then through careful aim, and the Force's guidance, Grem would use the Everlastings proton emitters to knock out each of the enemies sensors from a distance so as to not give their clever rouse away. The Vurk turned his chair round to find the four Jedi masters still entranced in deep meditation at their seats. He also found Master Skywalker's legendary droid, R2-D2 manning the ships power distribution network so as not to be detected by the enemy fleet. It was inspiring to see that astromech. When he was a young boy, before even going to the Temple to learn the ways of the Force, Grem Venad remembered the times his father would tell stories of great adventures, and even greater heroes: Obi-Wan Kenobi, General during the Clone wars. Luke Skywalker, Hero of the Rebellion and Savior of the Jedi. Wedge Antilles, Commander-an-chief of the War against the Yuuzhan Vong. Chewbacca Great Wookiee Warrior till the end. Jaquel Oden the First Jedi to settle a full scale intergalactic war without once igniting his lightsabre. R2-D2 small droid with the heart of a larger than most real beings. Along with his companion, the equally aged protocol droid C-3PO, they lived through Great wars, and even greater times of peace. Grem had met so many of these heroes' decedents, but never the actual hero. He was in aw, he forgot he was staring at the astromech. R2 pivoted his dome towards the star stung reptile, and his eye meet Grem's eyes. the tall blue being sat up in his chair, as if it were his first day at the Temple, learning good posture all over again. The blue-white robot waddled his way over to Grem, then spewed a small eight by eleven sheet of paper from an open slit in his steel torso. The Jedi Padawan raised his brow in confusion, but R2 whistled encouragingly, almost as if to say: 'Go on!, take it!' and he did just that. Taking the paper with both of his three fingered hands, Grem flipped it over, too discover that in fact it was a picture of R2, with an inscription that read. "To my new friend, Grem Venad." the apprentice recited out loud. ".May the Force be with you, good luck becoming a Knight, at this rate. You will be on the High Council in no time! Your buddy, R2-D2." He ended with a chuckle. "My Papo's stories told nothing of you being a comedian." He remarked. "Thank you R2, I will treasure this gift." "He means it too you know!" replied a drowsy Yoda Skywalker staring at the beseeched student and his new friend. "When R2 makes a friend, he means it!" The confirming thought pleased Grem, it even brought a warm feeling to his hearts to hear again. "Now I take it our trick was a success?" master Skywalker asked an unnecessary question. "With all do respect Master Skywalker!" The other Masters on the Bridge began to return to consciousness. "but if the trick didn't work, not only would you still be attuned to the Force, you'd be one with it!" this small display of humor on the usually well ground Padawan, brought all of the other Jedi out of their sleepy state, and into another full of laughter." "So your apprentice can tell a joke, Saliv." Chevacca's thoughts now reentered their minds. "Wonder where he got it from?" added Master Oden. This caused even R2 to hoot, but they had a mission to accomplish and Master Skywalker knew it could not last for ever. "Alright everyone, lets return to the our tasks at hand." "Buzzkill!" Dorshe' remarked with sarcasm. "What is our current status?" Grem took R2's picture and neatly placed it in his tunic and looked over his sensor readouts once more. "All enemy craft have left the system, and there are currently nine of original fifteen lifepods floating in open space." Grem stated with a smile still present on his blue face. "I concur, nothing but background noise and the homing beacons on all frequencies" Chevacca answered, before Dorshe' "Hyperdrive is still down, preparing to dispense all remaining astromechs to begin repairing" She glanced over to Skywalker. "Again!" she stated clearly and directly towards the responsible party. "Not possible." interrupted Master Romdel. "Power distribution to the recharge ports has been cut, do to internal damage." "Great!" Yoda mumbled with a hand covering his bearded face. "What was I suppose to do! Let R2 blast me to pieces?" "Well at least you could have stayed in one spot." Saliv added. "from what my readouts tell me their isn't cubic one meter of Main Engineering that doesn't have structural damage." "Sounds like the Force alone is keeping that part of the ship together." "That's not helping Chevacca" Grem couldn't help but sit there and laugh at what he overheard, he leaned over to R2 as if to whisper in his nonexistent ear "So this is how Jedi Master's should conduct themselves on missions, I don't remember them teaching that at the temple." The droid gave a confirming "Wheee-WhOoo!" "I hear ya!" Grem Agreed. "We should find the closest habitable place to set down and conduct repairs" Yoda finally broke the amusing verbal attacks on his confidence. "Grem anything on sensor?" Grem returned to his readouts once more, but what he discovered was peculiar. "That's strange?" "What is Padawan" questioned Master Oden. "Somehow we managed to find ourselves in an uncharted system, I'm going to boost the sensors and hopefully we can find a place to land." "R2." Master Skywalker injected "See if you can Help Grem find a planet." The eager R2-unit found his way to a interface terminal. Opened one of his many utility hatches, located all over his exterior, and extended a small interface latch. The Vurk and the droid worked together, and came to an equal conclusion. Grem glanced over to his tiny metal pal, and gave him a confirming nod. "I believe we found something!" He took another minute to go over the complete readout. "Well Grem, go on!" Saliv insisted for his Padawan to continue. "It's the fourth planet from this system's star, It's a storm- begotten planet covered entirely with water." "Any sign of a populace? "Chevacca pondered out loud. "No, but there do appear to be many large artificial structures suspended above the ocean." "Dorshe', See if you can use this information to find the location of their largest colony" Yoda requested to his navigator then began to prep that repulse engines. "Force be willing, we may be able to find shelter and make our repairs." "Just as long as we keep a certain, Jedi from the Engine room.!" Slyly remarked Saliv. "Shut-up" Yoda ordered as he cradled his head in is hand once more ."Master Oden, please make way to the Water-world before I throw someone out the nearest airlock!" Dorshe' did such, and the crippled Everlasting made her way to the unknown planet, but little did her crew know that they would be in for, more than they could ever expect. 


	5. CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5  
  
"What do you mean they failed?" Jiles spat at the young dark- skinned officer who brought him the unfortunate news, practically biting his head off for his nonexistent competence. "S-sir I mean t-that their report summarized, that a republic fleet ambushed Mortep's collection of ships. Their fleet sustained sufficient damage, and Mortep's ship the Lucky-Bantha fled. The rest of his fleet followed but when they reached the rendezvous coordinates there was no sign of Mortep or his ship." Anger filled Jiles, the rage burned cold in his spine as he slammed his fist into his steel desk. He would not except failure, not from himself and certainty not from his subordinates. "One of the surviving ships believes." Jiles raised his left hand has he wiped his face with his right.".. that the Lucky Bantha fell apart in hypersp." Jiles pointed two fingers, and blasted the well built officer to the ground with a bolt of dark lighting. The leather covered disciple of evil, turned back to his desk, lowering the hand that shielded his face, he then held down a button built into a panel secured to his desk. "Bretew!" He still shouted towards the receiver. "Come in here and bring two men to take Lt. Owens away from my sight, he'll leave a stain on the floor." As fast as if he asked for it two men dressed in standard guardsmen armors came rushing through the double door hatch as soon as it hissed open. A stocky dark-red Nikto soon followed as the solders lifted the disheveled Owens off the floor. Jiles finally found solitude in his oversized black chair which presided behind his metallic desk. Bretew stood before him in front of Jiles monstrosity of a workstation. Jiles' waited for the doors to shut after the guardsmen carried Owens out of his Office, and for all the out side light to escape the dimly lit room. The pasty human, rested his hands over the bridge of his nose, sealing his eyes from the sight of the portable text panel Bretew held in his hands and the question even he dreaded to ask. "What are our orders?" Bretew then tossed the panel onto his associate's desk. "We are to proceed to the Kamino system." Jiles looked up to the horned Sith solder. "And what?" His hands now clasped together. "And then we confront, and kill the Jedi!" "That's all?" "If you would read the plans I just put on your desk, then you would understand our exact orders, but since you seem to be illiterate at the time being I will explain our Master's wishes in finer detail for you!" Jiles simply responded with a slight nod of his head. "While the Jedi aboard the Everlasting avoided from retaining damage to their ship, during the smuggler's failed ambush. The droid you planted the Manipulator on, did manage to cripple their Hyperdrive engines. Our latest scans of that area show their ship heading for the fourth planet from the star; 'Kamino'. We are to take this ship into the system while they are on the planets surface then confront and kill all the Jedi before they can leave the system." Jiles finally sat up straight before he gave his order. "Set course for Kamino at once, maximum speed." Bretew gave a mournful exhale, then pointed his claw to the large window behind Jiles. He looked and saw that the ship had already gone into Hyperspace, and once again Jiles let his face fall into his palms. "Good work" he mumbled. "Now leave!" With a full toothed grimace on his face Bretew calmly paced out through the double doors. Leaving Jiles to his petty human frustrations, but before he stepped out the door. "Oh, and Bretew!" he halted his back still to Jiles, as if he were disgusted by his appearance. Jiles, now sitting up straight reached into his desk and pulled out his lightsabre, and without warning he activated then threw the saber at Bretew's back. The Nikto, as if it were as simple as swatting a Halloren fruit fly, caught the sabre's hilt, just over his right shoulder. He then deactivated the weapon and tossed it onto Jiles's desk, next to the touch panel. "If you are ever going to consider trying to kill me!" Bretew, only cocking his head in Jiles direction to make sure he's hearing him. "Then do it in battle, that way." his voice grew as he made his point. "You can see your victim's face, for once!" With his thought said, Bretew exited Jiles's office, leaving the human too collect his own. "Bantha-fodder!" and his hands cupped his face once again.  
  
The Everlasting made a difficult descent into the ocean-world's atmosphere. Partially do to the never ending thunderstorms inflicted on the great ball of water, and partially to the strain on her already devastated engines. "From what my scans can gather." Grem made clear to the Bridge. "this planet is still recovering from a recent Ice age." "How recent?" inquired Master Skywalker. "About three to four million years ago." "Is that not long for a planet to be experiencing the after math of such a natural disaster?" The Wookiee Jedi turned his chair to face the Young Vurk across from him, realizing that manning the comm. station serves no place in landing procedure on a unpopulated planet. Master Saliv injected. "That depends on the planet, many factors can determine how a world can deal with certain events that affect its environment. Position from the sun, Size Shape, its axis of rotation, and what's in its core." "I see!" "Yes and your about to see it a lot closer" Dorshe' playfully interrupted. "We are coming up on what appears to be the capital city. Chevacca are you sure you can't pick up any signal from the colony?" The furry Jedi spun over to his console. "I' am picking up signs of powerful communications technology, but no transmissions being emitted or received from them. If there is anyone down there, then they don't want to talk. " "I guess we will find out soon enough?" Yoda commented, Dorshe' then lifted her hand over the nav. console, pointing to a large metallic structure, suspended over the vast ocean's powerful waves by great pillars. "There, that's the city. I've just set a heading for a landing platform on the other side of its largest building." "Thank you Master Oden, I'm now implementing a flyby of that building, then we will prepare for a standard landing." Master Skywalker turned his head to other Jedi situated at their stations. "May the Force be with us!"  
  
* * *  
  
The Everlasting made a smooth, errorless landing, considering the soaking weather conditions. The five Jedi barely managed to take one step onto the ship's access platform, before their robes were completely drenched. Master Skywalker and Master Oden, lifted their hoods, on hopes that it would actually protect their faces from the endless storm that raged outside the ship. R2 followed his loving Master, the droid knew if the Jedi planned on gaining access to any computer, in the city they would need his help. Heck as far as the astromech was concerned they would only need him to tap on a light panel. He just didn't want to stay in the ship when there's a whole new world of adventure to explore. Yoda turned to the other three Jedi standing behind him still waiting on the ship, he closed his eyes, attuning himself to the Force so as to asses the next best course of action. "Master Chevacca!..." He shouted over the tempered winds, racing outside. "You are in command while Master Oden, and I along with R2 are investigating the city. Send a message to the High Council, inform them of our predicament and also make sure to send them the location of this system. Perhaps they can shed some light on this ghost star? While you are busy doing that. Master Romdel! you and your Padawan are to oversee the repairs to the Hyperdrive. If anything should happen while we are gone, contact us through the force, we shall do the same if we encounter trouble. Any Questions?" He waited a moment, even looking to Grem to see if he would yield to the Master's concerns first. "No? good! Then Dorshe',R2 let us be underway." And the two Jedi and their droid accomplice made their path down the access ramp. As soon as they were off, Chevacca tapped the panel to reseal the hatch. When the full impact of the harsh weather hit Dorshe' she wrapped her robe tightly to her slender body, Yoda was not feeling so affected by the surrounding environment. Who was concerned over his Orveasian companion. "Are you alright Dorshe'?" "Just a little cold I guess? I will be fine don't you worry!" Cold? The master thought to himself, I still remember that mission to Hoth, when she was the one who offered me her robe because I was cold. Funny? He pondered as they finally made their way across the bridge from the landing to a round alien hatch. This place is no where as cold as Hoth, the Windstorms might be worse, but still not as cold, and yet she seems as if she is trying to conceal something. Oh yell, She's not a first year Padawan. She can take care of herself! R2 found his way into a small maintenance compartment, there he simply used one of his many retractable arms to snip two wires, then cross them with each other. That was followed by the joyous swoosh, of the circular door opening. "Took you long enough!" Skywalker jokingly snapped, as he rushed inside behind Dorshe'. R2 then put away his tool and wheeled in after the Jedi before the door could close him out with the storm. Once shielded from the dangerous environment, the Jedi removed their hoods and R2 simply shook his dome back an forth so as to shake the water away from his sensor pallets. Dorshe' took a breathe in, as if she held it from the outside winds. "The air is stale, old." She commented. Master Skywalker realizing the hallway that they were in, was only lit by the crashing lighting outside, turned to his droid. "R2, see if you can find a way to access the lighting controls!" The little wheeled robot, simply replied with a sarcastic whistle, more in response to his own premonition, rather than his Master's request. Yoda noticed that Dorshe' was looking down at her abdomen, as if to examine a wound. "Are you sure your okay, Master Oden?" She looked up to her old friend, and gave him a humoring smile, she had known Yoda Skywalker since they were at the Temple, and they were in the same Padawan clan under Master Tulareff, before they took on masters of their own. She remembered when he was that dangly little blonde human who could hardly hold his own training sabre, or how could she forget the time Yoda programmed his mother's house keeping droid to do the Twi'lek slave girl dance. Boy!, Master Sharlace was upset. They grew up together, shared so many adventures and were even sworn into the Council together, but she couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. She knew her friend would concern over her too much to focus on the mission to tell him the truth now. "Don't worry about me, dear friend!" She placed her left hand on his right shoulder. "Keep your mind focused on the here an now, we have a mission to fulfill!" She ended her thought with a comforting smile. Yoda returned the gesture, but the touching moment was broken by the illumination of great white lights mounted into the walls. "Good work R2!" Skywalker commented with his hand shielding his eyes as they adjusted to the bright lights. "Now see if you can access their internal scanners, try to find any signs of life in this city." His eyes finally relaxed themselves to accept the ambient light. Yoda also took a second to see that Dorshe' wasn't affected by the change in illumination, but he remembered a time when she told him of the difference between Orveasian's and most other humans, was their unique sensitivity to the environment, which also attributed to their powerful physical strength and their additional internal organs. If this was the case then that could be accountable for Dorshe's earlier state, but something was still amiss in Master Skywalker's mind. Focus on the now Yoda, Dorshe' will be alright! He thought to himself. "Anything R2?" the small droid replied with a single 'beep', his version of a yes, then emitted an aged holographic cross-section of the city. There was a large red dot in what seemed to be a large storage or holding area deep below the colony, and even farther underneath the ocean's surface. "R2, can you clean up the image?" Dorshe' mentioned to the over- aged droid. Soon the image projected was replaced by a newer, cleaner version, although some sections were still blurry, the map would be far less helpful to everyone in its prior state. "There, the life signs are coming from sub-level twenty four, area B-nine. Storage rooms one through seven?" "Storage rooms?" the Jedi's pondered. "Perhaps they are in stasis?" "Unlikely." Master Oden, squinted closer at the projection, then viewed the bio-signature readout. "These life signs are quite small, they might just be rodents trapped in a cargo hold." "Or by the looks of their lack of movement, dinner in a giant ice-trap!" "Doesn't seem very worthy of investigation." That's when a great feeling of assurance washed over the two Jedi. "Did you feel that?" Dorshe' broke the speculation. "Yes, a vergence in the Force!" Master Skywalker took a moment to himself, returning his attention back to the schematic hovering over R2's dome. "I believe the Force wants us to go down to level twenty-four, and find out what exactly is in those storage rooms." "But, what if we don't find this city's people." "Well, if we are stranded here, at least we will have dinner tonight." Not even bothering to respect that joke with a comment, Master Oden walked off to an apparent lift at the end of the hall, and waved for R2 to follow. They were eventually followed by Master Skywalker himself. Master Oden, and the astromech waited as Skywalker caught up them. He took a step into the chamber and said. "Can't win them all, can I? Dorshe' gave the tan skinned man, a short glare with a supportive smile as R2-D2 interfaced with the lifts control. "Nope.", and the circular door quickly shut.  
  
It took only an a hour for the nine out of the original twelve High Council members to join up in Council chamber, in the largest of all nine freestanding towers on the great temple. Within the center of meeting chamber, a life size projection of Jedi master Chevacca presided from the device mounted into the floor. So as to inform his colleagues of the mission's unpredicted turn of events. His grammatical roars and groans were drowned out by the cold tone of the projector's translation matrix. "Under the orders of Senior High Council member, Master Yoda Skywalker. The mission to investigate the possible resurgence of the Sith, in the Unknown-territory has been postponed at this time, do to damage sustained on the Jedi-cruiser, 'Everlasting'." This news, brought little reaction among the council members. Master Vul'et Dak'om, an Ishi Tib Jedi master, raised a concern to Chevacca. "Master Chevacca, what of your current position?" "There in lies another mystery, Master Dak'om." The translator continued, "Our ship's hyperdrive systems failed in an uncharted solar- system, somewhere near the boarder between the mid and inner-rims, and south of the Rishi Maze, in an abandoned city on a large planet, completely covered with water. " The Wookiee's image tapped an invisible button, then the Robotic voice continued. "I'm currently transmitting to you a copy of our latest scans of the nearby systems, hopefully with the assistance of the Jedi archives, we can place a name to this forgotten place." "I will oversee the research, and investigation of this puzzle myself." Replied the Quarren Master, Fessak Ulomar, known well for his focus and determination in his duties. "Thank you Master Ulomar, I hold nothing but the greatest of hopes that the search will prevail under your guidance." The Wookiee returned to his original thought. "As of this time, the Everlasting is undergoing repairs by Master Saliv Romdel with his apprentice Grem Venad, are." The Corellian Jedi, Master T'sa Jhellows, asked a question that was eating at her mind, but feared the response too. "If I may Master Chevacca, how did your Hyperdrive come to be disabled?" "The complete story to that is complicated, but we believe it was the work of a Sith warrior, sent on a mission to sabotage our ship in the hopes of leading us to an opposing enemy fleet." "and how did you escape, without complete destruction?" She continued. "That is were it gets complicated!" he remarked. "needless to say my report will go into further detail. So I will continue where I left off, if you would pardon my abruptness." Jhellows, clasped her hands in her lap. "My sincerest apologies, please continue." Chevacca gave her an understanding look, on the Council when anything that involved the Sith, it was no lighthearted matter. "As I was saying, while the three of us are onboard the Everlasting, Master Skywalker and Master Oden, along with his droid R2- D2 are investigating the possible life signs within the colony we landed on, in hopes of discovering where exactly we are." Master Baldos Amtlar, a green Mon Calamari, and acting head of council while Masters Skywalker and Chevacca are away, spoke to the projection in front of him. "Master Chevacca, once we have discovered your location, it is my wish to dispatch and lead a small taskforce of Jedi battles cruisers to provide additional protection for the Everlasting on her mission." "I understand your concern for our safety Master Amtlar, we await your arrival, until then we will do our best to unravel this mystery from here." Chevacca's projection took a final look around the council, then bowed his head before giving one more translated growl. "May the Force Be with you!" and then the transmission faded, and Master Amtlar dispensed specific duties, to each of the High council members. He turned to Master Ulomar, seated directly to his right. He then pointed a claw to Master Crebbem, a dark yellow Ithorian seated across from himself. "Master Ulomar, you have your assignment, please take Master Crebbem, to help you in your research. As soon as you have discovered this lost star, I and Master Jhellow will assemble a fleet of five of our Battle cruisers, and we will then proceed to the Everlasting's position. Any thoughts on what other courses of action we should take?" Master Kriss Willshard, lifted his voice to the large eyed Mon Calamari. "Master Amtlar, what if we should encounter the Sith, on this mission." "Then Master Willshard." He responded with the utmost confidence "We show them the Light!" 


	6. CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6  
  
Perhaps it was the rapid decent of the lift, but as hard as she tried to compose herself. Dorshe' still couldn't compel the urge to grasp he stomach, which only raised Yoda's prior worries. "Dorshe', what's wrong, R2 stop the lift!" "No that won't be necessary." She winched. "Just a little stomach pain, my body will recover!" Yoda couldn't help but sense that something else was going on, nothing dangerous, but even that didn't dampen his feelings towards her safety. She began to remove her hand from her belly. "See, I'm feeling better already." He didn't respond verbally, he simply shot her a glance that expressed confusion. Why won't she tell me? Dorshe' would never hold back information from me, unless it were dire, or sacred. He returned to a stiff pose of anticipation, he could feel the lift's decent come to a slower pace, then an eventual halt. There was slight wait for the circular exit hatch to open. Almost as if he didn't trust his judgment, Yoda turned his head to R2. As he peeked his head around the corner of the hall, which looked incredibly similar to the one they just left, except no windows. "Are you sure this is the correct Level R2?" the droid returned with a confirming whistle. "Alright then, lead the way." The astromech then unveiled his third leg, and they began to make way to the next circular door, no more than twenty feet in front of them. R2, without unneeded direction, closed in on a interface panel much similar to the one before. It was a minute after the four foot robot, had obtained access to the door's subroutines that he discovered something. "Whoo-Oooh!" the metal one exclaimed. "What did you find?" Dorshe' now leaning over to R2. He only replied by showing them what he had found, it was a recording. Soon after he tapped into the Holo-manipulator devise, which was embedded into the wall above the round door. It was then, that an outdated projection of an unfamiliar figure presided over them. The projection was frozen, R2 still needed to access the entirety of the ancient message before he could play it completely. The Jedi simply marveled over the beings unusual, but still breathe taking appearance. He or she, stood well over seven feet tall, but were surprisingly thin for such a height, despite the somewhat bulky even more unique clothing it dawned to itself. The alien had a pale, almost translucent flesh tone, reptilian most likely from the looks of its three fingered hands, and empty dark eyes, but its hoofed feet diminished this theory from Master Skywalker's mind. Master Oden on the other hand was almost in awe, at the projections luminescent beauty. "Have you ever seen such a being Yoda?" "Never, in all my time spent off Coruscant. I don't believe I ever set eyes on yet alone meet a being like this." R2 then spat out a hoot of affirmation, the recording was ready to be played. "Go ahead R2!" the droid then complied simply twisting the survo interface to activate the program. "Hello, I am Tuan We, head-chair of this city: Tipoca and Prime minister of the planet Kamino." The Jedi masters knew from the sound of the recording's elegant voice, that this being is.well, was a female. "If you are viewing this message, then there is still hope for the future." This led the Jedi Master's to share a confused look with each other, even with R2. "Shortly before the passing of my predecessor, Prime minister Lama Su. I was Project coordinator for the development of a Clone army for the Galactic Republic. Little did I know that the army I helped to create install peace in the galaxy, would instead be used to support the reign of a tyrant." The Galactic Civil War! Dorshe' thought to Yoda, this being helped to create the Army of the Emperor. Most disturbing! They fell silent as the recording continued. "That was thirty full rotations ago, six standard years by the calendar of Coruscant. Two of those past years, my people heard of a resistance against this dictator and his installed Empire. Lama Su felt it was his responsibility to offer assistance to these rebels, but he was killed after his transport was destroyed during one of Kamino's harshest lighting-spells. My first and final act as Prime minister in the wake of this tragedy, was the creation of a 'Cloned Republic'." This news shot more curiosity into the eyes of the three adventurers. "This special collection of replicas will be developed from samples of good natured Republic Senators retained in our databanks. Along with genetic material gathered by the renegade Jedi knight, Quinlan Vos, we will also clone as much of the once great Jedi Order as we are able." Master Skywalker was astonished to hear this, as were the Equally dumbfounded Master Oden and R2-D2. "It is not my hope that these clones would go on to rebuild the Republic, but rather serve as a tribute to all those lost before this Madman's rise to power. My people have managed with the assistance of the noble Quinlan Vos, to keep our Star-system hidden from the Empire, in fear that the emperor himself would discover our plans and misconstrue them as a attempt to overthrow the Empire. I have ordered that all the "clones of honor" as they have been deemed, put into stasis and hidden in a few of our storage areas, deep below Tipoca city. The fate of my people is ill-fated, and we will let nothing interfere with the clone's development. That it is my dearest hope that someone of good heart has found this place of rebirth, so these replicas can go on to live the life's their templates did not have the chance too." Sorrow began to fill Dorshe', she couldn't help but admire the price these people had paid, just to repay for an injustice they could never truly fulfill. "Enclosed with this message is a complete list of all the embryo in stasis. Along with each name there is a detailed file of their templates history and character profile." Yoda reached for a small touch panel R2 dispensed from one of his upgraded hatches, but he waited for the recording to come to its finish before he looked at the list of names it contained. "It is my dearest prayer that these embryos find there way into good hands, My people have invested every available effort into their development thus far to hatch them at this time, and it is darkest belief that my people will not see the next decade." Dorshe' could feel sympathy for the long past Kaminoan, as she reached for her stomach. " Jedi Vos once mentioned an old Jedi prophecy to my person, he felt that this legend paralleled with our actions and so I leave your attention to him as he retells the story in his own words." The tall creature stepped aside, now out of existence to the projection, another figure seemed to have entered where she stood before. He was a man dressed in the old Jedi garbs, a Kiffar from the looks of the natural yellow lines the marked his face and hands. He seemed tired as if he had not slept since a time more disserving. His black dreaded hair was highlighted by the greys of time, and their were cracks in his sun toasted skin which only displayed his true age. "I'm Quinlan Vos, Jedi of the once great order. I have spent the last two years of my life hiding from Emperor Palpatine, on this planet Kamino. Helping its people gather the genetic samples they requested, to create this 'Replicated Republic.' I have, spent a great deal of time around these people, and not once have I not been mesmerized by their efforts to try and repay for action they are not even entirely responsible for." "R2 hold," the droid turned to his master in response to his order. "Have you been downloading this recording into your databanks?" the astromech gave another 'hoot' of confirmation. "Good!" Yoda then turned to Dorshe' "I don't think the Council would believe us if we told them about this discovery." He turned his attention back to the frozen image. "Continue R2!" the projection of Vos began where it left off. "The time I have spent with the Kaminoans, has been a difficult one though. I must leave their planet soon for I feel my presence may summon Anakin Skywalker, now the evil pawn of the Emperor: Darth Vader into their graces. So before I part with these compassionate people. I wish to share the 'Prophecy of the Old sun.'" Master Skywalker and Master Oden were taken back, they both recalled the time when their clan Master Tulareff told them of such a story, one of which they didn't care for back then, but were more than willing to hear in this instance. "Over seven-millennia ago, a great Jedi master had a vision, no one remembers who he was, but his Prophecy still lived on till this day. The Prophecy is a long one, but in all essences it went as follows. On a rock that is the universe, there was a great sun that enriched all that dwelled on the rock's surface. It brought peace, serenity, and joy. The sun planted the seeds of peace throughout the rock, but one day the sun was over powered by a brighter sun, overpowered and outshined. The old sun set, leaving the bright sun to prosper over the rock, but this brighter sun brought no seeds of peace to plant. Instead it planted weeds of hate, deceit, and Anger. These weeds conquered and destroyed, all but a few seeds of good. And the rock was covered in darkness, but amidst the evil weeds, the remaining good seeds sprouted hope, which brought a new sun of peace to banish the Evil sun." the story came back to the minds of the Jedi who stood towards the projection. "Over time the, The good seeds grew in strength and in number as they fought the evil weeds for the new sun, while brighter, could not equal the balancing powers for the very first sun. Wars would be fought, but peace would never truly win until the Old sun would return." Master Dorshe' could picture Vos's words in her mind, Master Skywalker on the other hand, tried his best to relate the story to these clones. "Then, one day a good seed rose, over all the others to call upon the Old sun, and at that moment the Old Sun rose over the Rock, and destroyed the weeds at their roots. Knowing that evil would return to the new sun and the Old sun, prospered over the rock, nourishing it with more peace and happiness, awaiting the day evil would come back to the rock, the suns could banish it from the rock's surface forever." The image of the Jedi remained silent for a moment, letting his words sink in to his captive audience. "and with that I leave you with this thought. The decision is yours, these embryo's stored in this city maybe the key to true balance in the force. please don't take it likely." With his words now embedded into his listener's minds, one of them literally. He bowed his head in the painful truth that this was probably the last words he'd ever speak to another Jedi, as if he knew the masters would find this message some two-thousand years later. Then the image disappeared into nothingness. With the ancient Jedi's words still fresh in their minds. Master Skywalker reluctantly, looked over the list. "So many names." He remarked aloud. "There has to be more than a thousand names on this list." "About seventeen thousand." Dorshe's mind opened to reach out to the embryo's past the door they stood at. Her steel eyes then met Yoda's blue ones. "Give or take a few?" Master Skywalker, while curious to see what lies behind the oval hatch, would rather see it with his own eyes. "R2 open the door." Then the adventurous droid, eager to fulfill this wish, twisted his interface latch, and the large round door split open. "By the Force!" Master Skywalker exclaimed, as the trio became overwhelmed by what they saw. A vast, almost endless hall made of transparent steel, and outside the hall, great pillars several of them with many layers that led up to a flat point all retaining hundreds of tiny stasis tubes inside their clear structures. Like the great pyramids of Yarvin Four. Dorshe' thought, but the hall began to light up, and then the room around it lit up as well. Unveiling even more stasis tubes, each containing a different clone, a different species, and a different life. The Jedi walked to the end of the hall, sensing the thousand slumbering life's around them. "It's like touching the minds of children." Yoda remarked. "That's because they are children Yoda." Dorshe's responded to her friend, noting that the embryos were actually in a fetal, not embryonic state. That's when a great light flashed over the band of investigators, it was a slow, slightly blinding, but harmless light that seemed to have flown past them. "What was th." Yoda was then interrupted by the voice of an unknown person, being projected from the hall around them." "This is a warning, installed by safety protocol, one-one-six, of desired entrance into a cloning laboratory. Currently sections 'Beta' and 'Delta', are advised to be taken into consideration, once entry into the laboratory in obtained." The Jedi scanned their surroundings to find no one. "Must be a recording?" Master Skywalker mentioned, before the voice could continue. "Section Beta of the safety protocol states that at no time is a unregistered droid allowed entry into the laboratory at any time without prior advisement to Tipoca's city computer of assignment, and occupational management for 'Artificial Lifeform' This statement just about sent R2 into an uproar, he had no problem being called a droid, or a robot., but artificial was what really ticked him off. "Calm down, R2 no sense in getting angry over a Two-thousand year old recording." The droid's temper yielded but didn't extinguish. "See if you can go find away to shut it off." R2 was more than willing to rip a few wires on this computer's voice box, and set off for the door at the end of the hall to share his circuits. The voice continued. "Section Delta of the safety protocol clearly states, that at no time should a person of any race." R2 found a maintenance panel, but instead of simply interfacing with the circuits he brandished one of his laser emitters. ".who is carrying and unborn individual or unborn individuals, be allowed access to the labora." the droid fired a blast, as if the panel were the voice itself, silencing its ignorance. Usually, Yoda would condone his droid's harsh action, but he was befuddled by the voice's last statement. "Why would it think one us is pregn." Skywalker found him at a bigger lost for words than the reordering as he turned to his long haired Jedi cohort with the confused look. "Dorshe'? Are you with child?" She tried, but couldn't hide the truth from her colleague, her friend. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, she had to tell him now. "Yes." "But how?" Yoda soon realizing he would have to ask this difficult question. "Who's the father." He sensed the pain rising in her as R2 rolled up to see what the Jedi were doing. "Pacres is, was the father." "Oh, Dorshe' I'm so sorry" Her own husband of course you idiot but how were you to know. She didn't tell you and Pacres died two months ago, on the same mission we were sent to finish. The reality of her unusual behavior aside, Yoda embraced his friend who's wounds he just reopened. "When did this happen?" Her sense of humor returning to her. "Since when did I ever tell you what I did with my husband in our bed chambers." Now realizing his miss-wording. Yoda pushed his fellow Jedi master away till he was just holding her by the her own shoulders. "No, not that I mean when did you find out you wer." Master Skywalker, Master Oden. Master Chevacca's voice entered their minds abruptly. We have a situation, we have sensed a dark presence in the city. We believe it to be the Sith again. He was correct, there was a dark presence on Kamino, not Kamino but inside Tipoca as well. Understood Chevacca, I and Master Oden are heading back to you position, Keep your guard up! 


	7. CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7  
  
Jiles and his select group of Sith warriors, marched down the alien corridor with only one thing on their mind. Destruction, their guiding principle when it came to the Jedi. Jiles knew his disciples were up for the chance to face the Jedi in one on one combat, but not nearly as much as Jiles himself wanted too. Jilse had spent numerous hours, training with a lightsabre when he was an apprentice to the Master. He had defeated every holo-simulator, ten times over at the base on Duconar until his lightsabre was more apart of his body than the hands that wielded it. His five subordinates, were eager and skilled as well. For Jorex and Dorex Rellings especially, alone the two dark skinned twins were strong in the ways of the Dark side, but together no one was their equal. With the possible exception of Friodi, the green Rodian while not bad with a sabre, he is quite powerful in the ways of mental illusions and such. But Y'por Hak'ge could be considered an even match for Friodi, his ability to move and crush objects with the Force was something feared by even the highly skilled. Then there was Bretew, while he is an impeccable fighter, Jiles couldn't help but sense the worst of intentions in him. Despite his feelings for the Nitko, Jiles knew he would need him for this mission to be done, unflawed. The group of villainess warriors, made their way past the final hall leading to the open landing port, they halted at the hatch which would lead to the bridge of the port where the crew of the Everlasting awaited the return of her friends. Jiles faced the others giving them their final instructions. "There are three Jedi on that ship, they can sense us now. Jorex, Dorex, Y'por and Bretew. You four are to take care of those three, while I and Friodi are to handle the other two Jedi heading this way. Now go! For the Master!" Each of the four Sith sent to destroy the Jedi aboard the Everlasting, wielded their lightsabres in both hands, each hilt with its own unique dastardly design, was activated in a union of red blades. This symbolized the blood each weapon was meant to spill. Bretew, led the band of Sith out into the storm as Jiles and Friodi continued down the hall.  
  
Chevacca could sense it, the Sith were coming, and they were in greater numbers this time. "Grem, Saliv ready your weapons!" and without any more words the three disciples of light, activated their swords then leapt of out the Everlasting's access ramp, before it could fully open itself. A great battle ensued. Chevacca at the lead, the Wookiee began to duel with the first sabre to meet his own, and that sabre belonged to a very familiar looking Nitko. Saliv all the while, was managing to hold off an attack from the identical duo, and Grem was putting his master's training to the test against a menacing looking Bothan. Chevacca parried an attempted slice at his arm, and that's when he realized who his opponent was. "Bretew?" His sabre intercepted another aggressive blow. "I was wondering when you would notice who I was! How is the life of a Master treating you Chevacca. Very well I hope?" Bretew attempted to diminish the soaked Wookies guard with his sarcasm, but Chevacca was a Jedi master for a reason. "Much better than you had ever hoped, traitor!" Chevacca swiped his blade down to the left in a failed attempt to slash his old friend's chest. "You still haven't let that go have you, let it go Chevacca. How long has it been? Twenty five, twenty six." The Jedi swiped again at his opponent's blatant show of ignorance." "Twenty nine!" the Master's roar was louder than the thought he implanted in Bretew's head, even louder than the thunder that went off around them, which regrettably didn't send the horned one over the edge of the platform. "Well its nice to see some ones keeping track of the time." Bretew snapped as he began strike back. Each blow building up to his next, insulting comment. "By the way Chevacca, how's your arm feeling?" The Jedi master didn't bother to respond. He instead repressed, anger and focused on the true battle, not 'Chevacca versus Bretew', but the battle of the light versus the dark. Saliv would have been confused, if without the assistance of the Force. He could hardly tell if he were fighting two identical Sith or one incredibly quick warrior. Luckily for the bald Jedi master, their moves were predictable, when one of the dark fleshed twins parried, the other would slash. a block, then swipe. A plunge, then strike from above and so on and so on. Needless to say he could admire the practice needed to perform such tricks, but that's all they were to Master Romdel. Tricks led by the Dark side. His speed and focus on the Force would be his ally in this match. He managed to lift his sabre into a lock with his twin combatants, then while they were focused on trying to break the bind that Master Saliv fooled them into. He slipped into the shadows, using his Jedi mind powers to make him seem invisible to their untrained minds. Grem was equally busy handling his own duel. Not only could he sense the immense rage in the Bothan, but he could also smell the horrible scent created by his wet fur as the Sith attempted to cut him down. "Hmmm. What makes you think you stand a chance against me boy!" He tried to slice Grem's tall resonating chamber, but was blocked with a back handed blow of his blue sabre. "Grrr. You can't win this, I'm to powerful for you to comprehend as a Jedi, but you can find out for yourself." He causally swiped away another of the Padawan's swipes so he could hear his offer. "All you have to do is join me, and follow my Master. Then you can understand what it means to wield true power." Grem returned his proposal with a slash to his enemy's abdomen, which became locked with Y'por's blade. "Never!" he grouched. "Then Young one, you will die on this dreadful water planet!" The furry Jedi pushed the Vurk into the air with a blast of pure hate. Only for Grem to do a back flip and land firmly on his feet, despite the slippery surface caused by the endless downpour, and he took a moment before returning to his match. Water, that's it! The tall reptilian apprentice took a moment to realize that he and the Bothan, were fighting on a smaller adjoining port connected to the main landing platform where the Everlasting lie awaiting still in the cold wind storm. He noticed that the ships aft proton array, was almost pointing directly at the small wing. If I could just.wait got it! Grem reached out with the force into the Everlasting's bridge and accessed the ship's weapons, with the off chance that the array was actually targeting the wing, or its power level setting. He used his mind to press the fire panel key, and a great burst of protons launched into, and completely destroyed the floor underneath him and his opponent. Sending both into the crashing waves below, just as he planned.  
  
Jiles and Friodi, made their way calmly down the hall, its bright lights, blinding the marble eyed Rodian, he paced behind the pale human following his lead. "I can sense them Friodi, they are close!" "Well seeing is much different than believing isn't it Jiles" Jiles wasn't going to even bother with Friodi's unusual sense of humor at this time, he was too focused on finding the Jedi. Then they found a large round door at the end of a white hallway. Jiles pointed out that it must be some kind of lift, due to the level indicator on the panel next to the hatch, and it was getting closer. The duo, reached for their sabre's then ignited their red blades waiting for their prey to enter the trap. The level indicator finally signaled that the lift had made it to their level. Friodi without moving from his position used the force push the panel to open the lift's hatch. The door finally hissed open as the Sith tightly grasped their weapons, only to discover that the lift was empty. "Empty?" Friodi comment in his alien voice. The green one then proceeded to walk into the small vessel, his dark round eyes carefully examined the tiny room, as a tint of red hue reflected on its walls from his sabre. Then he saw it, a small device mounted into the wall, it was alien to the rest of its surrounding. A grav. Detonator! The Rodian took a great leap from the lift, pushing the panel to close the hatch with the Force once more as the bomb detonated behind him as he knocked Jiles to the floor. The blast gave Yoda, Dorshe' and R2 the distraction they needed to jump down from the shaft just above the hallway closest to the lift tube. Using her powerful Orveasian strength, Dorshe' leaned down and grabbed the astromech with both her hands, and hoisted the droid over her head not wanting to wait for R2 to wheel around the unconscious Sith. She began to run for the Everlasting as Yoda followed behind her, using their powers of the Force it did not take them long to reach the exit-hatch for the landing port. Having sneaked a peek out the window as they passed to the door, Skywalker unlatched his lightsabre to help his colleagues locked in battle outside in the treacherous weather. Dorshe' also realizing her friends were in need dropped R2 to the ground and raised her blade as well. The somber droid brought himself to his feet as Masters Skywalker and Dorshe' ran to aid their fellow Jedi, then proceeded to follow into the fray. As they ran down what seemed like an endless bridge, Dorshe' ignited her crystal white sabre and set her sights on the Nitko that was viciously attacking Chevacca, she ran even faster to his aid. While Yoda noticed two astonishingly similar men bearing red lightsabres, searching underneath the everlasting, realizing, that Saliv is playing his dangerous version of hide-'n'-seek with the twin duo. "R2 head for the ship and, send a distress signal on all republic channels, inform them of our situation!" The astromech sprouted his antigravity amplifiers and flew to the open hatch of the Everlasting in compliance to his Master's demands. The droid fought against the savage natural elements but he did make a quite smooth landing in front of the ship's access ramp, despite the harsh conditions. As Master Skywalker came running to confront the identical Sith solders, R2 made his way up the ramp to secure the ship. "Excuse me may I cut in?" the Blonde Jedi remarked slyly to his new combatants. The twins of evil gave no verbal response they just pounced on the Jedi master. Yoda rather slash his sabre at the duo, used his abilities to force the Sith warriors land off balance, falling directly on to their backs. This gave Saliv the window he hoped for, he jumped from the shadows as Skywalker also leapt above the fallen Sith readying both their lightsabres to strike down on the Jorex and Dorex. But the Sith quickly hopped to their feet sending the Jedi's sabres piercing through the wet flooring of the platform. Now the odds are evened! Saliv thought. Dorshe' did her best to join the fight between Chevacca and the alien Sith, all she could really do was block a few swipes when her Wookiee companion was blindsided by dirty tricks on the Nitko's behalf. Dorshe' sensed that Chevacca knew his opponent, an this was a very personal dispute for the usually neutral Jedi Master, She more or less was no more apart of this duel as any of the others Jedi and Sith alike. But little did any of them know, that deep below them under the surface of the crashing waves.  
  
Y'por was practically immobile underneath the water while he could not swim to the surface do to his thick fur and the raging waves. He could hold his breathe for more than an hour, due to his additional lung space compared to those of most other species. He had lost his lightsabre in the fall from the platform, so all he had to do was find the Jedi student and finish him off with his bare hands, or so he thought. What Y'por didn't know about this Jedi, is that he is a Vurk, and Vurks are more at home in the sea than they are on drive land. He also didn't know that the Jedi order had recently developed a new hydronic amplifier, to be installed in all their member's lightsabres so that they could work under water, and Grem had made such an upgrade to his weapon, just prior to this mission. The Padawan moved with the water, as if he were part of the great ocean itself, than as soon as he set his sights on the Bothan, he gained speed for he knew he would only get one chance to strike unnoticed. I hope it works? The blue reptilian thought to himself as he activated his sabre, the blade rose amidst the water. It created a wake of boiling H20 around the shaft of light. I think its working. He extended his blade out with his right as his body flung in a rhythmic motion that projected himself through the ocean. Y'por didn't even know what hit him, all he saw before his world went dim was this great blue light go through him. Literally! Grem looked back as he noticed the grizzly Sith warrior was now in two. It works! Grem now assured of his technical skills, tried his hardest to build speed once more as he sensed the battle above him, he knew he was needed.  
  
Saliv and Yoda paired off as they fenced against the fierce Jorex and Dorex. They even went so far as to show off their mastery of the sabre to the Sith duo, by trading off opponents with one anther to try and keep them on their toes. These two are quite predictable! Saliv exclaimed to Yoda through the bonds of the Force. Your right Saliv, I have an Idea follow my lead. Then using the force two Jedi synchronized their moves. Saliv parried Dorex's blow to his abdomen then locked his red blade to the master's yellow sword. Yoda blocked and parried until he backed Jorex to the left of his brother, then locked up his green blade with Jorex's. The two masters eyed each other in a confirming manner, then used the strength they summoned from the Force to overpower the Twin's locks on their own blades into locking all four blades together. Intertwining the weapons in a spectacle of green , yellow and red lights. Then when the Sith least expected it, Master Romdel and Master Skywalker kicked Dorex and Jorex directly in their faces knocking them to the drenched steel under their feet. As they were dazed by the dirty trick, the Jedi Masters entered their minds and implanted their own image on both of the Twins. When Jorex opened his eyes all he saw was Master Yoda lying beside him, slowly waking himself Dorex noticed Master Romdel next to him on the steel floor. The two raised their lightsabres and ran them through their own brother's chest. Never realizing that they killed their own blood. The two Jedi Master's simply stood over their unfortunate corpses. "They were young!" Saliv murmured in sorrow for the youthful lives he had to take. Killing was never easy for Master Romdel, it was only at times a necessity, and even that never stopped him from doing his duty. "They were also Sith! If we didn't kill them, they would have killed us and who knows how many other lives they would have taken after that?" that's when they sensed it, two more dark beings heading their way. While Saliv was unaware who they were, Yoda knew who it was. Jiles and Friodi had woken from their unconscious state the grav. detonator had put them into. Jiles and his Rodian cohort had just as soon stepped out into the storm when the two Jedi Masters charged with their snares ready to confront the still somewhat dazed Sith. Friodi and Jiles saw the green and yellow shafts of light heading in their direction through the storm, and they headed straight for the Jedi masters and yet another battle arose on the bridge connecting Tipoca city to the landing port. Saliv and Friodi squared off, Saliv more impressed with his new opponents choice of tactics. Jiles and Yoda went at each other with swords swinging, Skywalker noted the pasty human's strength with the sabre after a couple failed slashes for his head. He parried off his enemy, "your quite good!..." he gritted his teeth, ".For a Sith that is!" Jiles took the moment to notice that he couldn't sense neither Jorex's or Dorex's presence. "You killed them!" he remarked as if they didn't exist to begin with, like a truth agent of evil., then took another failed slash for Skywalker's legs. "I did what I had to do!" Yoda returned along with a stab for Jiles's stomach. ".and I will do it again if I must!" and the Sith's attack grew stronger on the Jedi.  
  
Chevacca had his paws full with Bretew. They had it not been for Master Oden's help. The two blood enemies would still be stuck in their first sabre lock. But Chevacca had a great advantage over the Nitko, and that wasn't Master Oden, It was his faith in the light. Dorshe' I have a plan! The Orveasian woman was busy blocking off a parry but she realized what the Wookiee had in mind. I understand. She communed through their bond in the Force. Dorshe' backed off to the right, away from the duel, and using a combination of the Force and her people's natural attunement to nature. She reached out to the storms all around her, it was not the connection or the implement that would matter for this idea to work, but instead the timing would play a key role. Dorshe' waited for the right moment, then."Now Chevacca!" She yelled. The sound of her voice shouting, distracted Bretew long enough for Chevacca to take a swipe of his violet blade through the Sith's right side. Then the Jedi kicked him away, as a large bolt of lighting summoned by Master Oden, shot down at Bretew sending him flying onto the Bridge. Yoda could hear the force telling him to move, why? He didn't know but he wasn't going to start deafening himself to the Force now. With a single back hand swipe Master Skywalker pushed himself off of Jiles's crimson blade and ducked out of Bretew's path, as the Nitko crashed into Jiles, sending the two sliding down the bridge on its wet surface. Yoda then noticed that the Rodian Sith had Master Romdel in an invisible force hold, suspended over the edge of the Bridge. Master Skywalker attempted to run the spiky headed Sith through, but he still managed to wield his sabre and contain Saliv at the same time. Then the Jedi sensed it, they could feel it coming at them like a Neutron torpedo. That's when Grem shot himself out from the great waves below; he had used his amphibious traits to gain just enough speed to leap back onto the bridge above. As he ascended, Grem saw his master suspended over the bridge and with his free hand he grabbed his master from the hold of Friodi's spell. With his lightsabre raised as he descended, the young Padawan cut the Rodian from shoulder to thigh, the two Jedi master could only stand there and watch the Sith's two halves fall into the monstrous waves below "It does me good to see you well Padawan!" Saliv's eyes still pearing down at the water. "And I you Master." The Vurk panted. Skywalker's focus now diverted to the two remaining Sith, he began to head toward the once again dazed Jiles as Masters Chevacca and Oden joined Romdel and his apprentice. Jiles throwing Bretew off to the side began to walk in Skywalker's direction, but they were both cut off by a large black shuttle hovering just over the bridge between the Sith and the Jedi. Then the dark shuttle fired at the Jedi, Master Skywalker urged for the others to head into the Everlasting as he himself led them away from bombardment. Jiles knew the Ship as one of the shuttles his Sith destroyer carried, and walked up to the hatch that floated before him. It opened to reveal a familiar face, it was Lt. Owens. "Sir we must be leaving. There is a fleet of Jedi Battleships heading in our direction." With this said Jiles unwillingly picked Bretew over his shoulder and dragged him into the Ship. "Hail the ship!" Jiles shouted as he resumed command of his mission. "Tell the bridge as soon as we land in the shuttle bay to head for Duconar!" and the black vessel disappeared into the storm only to return to an angry Master.  
  
The Jedi watched as the Sith's transport flew off into the thundering clouds of Kamino's sky, safely in the Everlasting's Bridge. When they realized the battle had past, each one of the soldiers of good, took a deep breathe. "Well, needless to say." Master Oden injected in the moment of rest. ".I believe our investigation of a possible Sith resurgence has unfortunately been confirmed." "Did you find out where we are?" Master Romdel added. "Yes" Master Skywalker remarked. "We are on a planet called Kamino, and that city is called Tipoca." He pointed to the colony outside the ship. "We also discovered something quite astounding." Dorshe' continued for Yoda. "Underneath the city there is an entire level, full of clones from the Old republic?" "Clones?" "Yes Chevacca Clones, Replicas of ancient Senators, Representatives and Dignitaries." "Just what the Galaxy needs!" Saliv interrupted. "More politicians!" "Not just politicians Master Romdel but Jedi as well!" This brought a look of utter surprise to the room, Skywalker smirked at his colleagues disbelief as Dorshe' continued to explain. "There are more than seventeen thousand clones down there, most of them are Jedi." "How?" Grem questioned as he tried to knock the water from the crest in his skull. "Long story short about two thousand years ago during the Galactic Civil Wa." Dorshe' was cut off by the sound of the previously unnoticed R2 hooting for alert. "What is it R2?" Master Skywalker queried his family astromech. The droid then made his associates aware of the comm. console, it was blinking. Chevacca looked down at the panel, and then turned to his fellow Jedi. "The Fleet has arrived!" Master Skywalker and Master Oden were caught off guard. "Fleet?" 


	8. CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8  
  
Master Amtlar, now dawned in his Jedi duty tunic, stood firmly upon the command platform in the Bridge of the Perseverance. The great ship, led the other four ships of the Jedi fleet to the lost system of Kamino. Thanks given to Master Ulomar and Master Crebbem's efforts in discovering this ghost star, just prior to the fleet's departure from Coruscant. They had said they found a gravity-well between a few other systems in the mid-rim which also coincided with the coordinates sent by Master Chevacca. This made Master Amltar spend a great deal of the trip in Hyperspace trying to contemplate how a solar system so close to the Inner core, could have remained unfound for so long. In all the time since the formation of the New Republic, the boarders of every rim have expanded substantially, still leaving more planets to be discovered in the outer-rims, and unknown territories, but the mid- rim. That was thought to have been fully charted back in the days of the Old Republic and even the darker times of the Emperor's reign. Hopefully Master Skywalker and the others would have some answers. "Master Amtlar!" Master Jhellow rotated her chair to deliver her news to the Jedi in command. "The Everlasting is responding to our hail, it's Master Skywalker asking for your audience." The Mon Calamari became curious, he had hoped he would not have to resort to violence, but he would let that depend on the situation of the Everlasting's crew. "Put him through the holo-projector." The fish headed Jedi about faced to the projection that emitted right next to his own person. "What is of concern Master Skywalker?" "Nothing at this time Master Amtlar, but I do regret to confirm that our thought of a Sith resurgence is true!" The Bridge of Jedi officers turned their attention to the projection of Yoda, eyes widened by his revelation. "I and associates had just encountered a group of Sith warriors. We were fortunate that we managed to defeat them, but two of the attackers managed to retreat aboard one of their vessels. Have you scanned any other ships in the system?" Baldos Amtlar turned his attention to a grey Twi' lek Jedi manning the Perseverance's science station, "I have yet to pick anything up on sensors Master Amtlar" the large eyed Jedi returned to the projection of Yoda. "My ship doesn't sense anything on scanners. It is most likely that the perpetrators of your attack have left the system." Skywalker let out a sigh of distraught. They got away. He thought, but set that matter aside and brought a new one too Baldos's attention. "Baldos, I will need you and any other commanders of your fleet to meet me on the surface of the fourth planet. We have made an amazing discovery down here.  
  
* * *  
  
As if his eyes weren't large enough, Master Amtlar couldn't help but be astonished by what Master Skywalker had shown him. An entire genetic archive of beings from a long since dead Republic, such a gigantic number of differing species, all no more aware of their own surrounding then if they were actually in the womb. "By the Force!, how many of them are there?" "By Master Dorshe's estimations about seventeen thousand, eight hundred and ninety three." He expelled to the Amtlar and his group of Jedi commanders consisting of Master Jhellow, and several other Jedi nobles. "Fifthteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty nine of which are Jedi replicas." A few minutes ago, Yoda had R2 replay the message left by Tuan We and Quinlan Vos to newly arrived band of Jedi in hopes that they would understand why he feels the Force led him here to find this 'Back up Republic'. "I strongly believe that the Force guided us to find these clones, in hopes that we could use them to benefit the Republic and the Order." "In other words." one of the unnamed officers added her own interpretation of Master Skywalker's statement. ".you believe that these clones are meant to fulfill the prophecy of 'The Old Sun'." "Yes I do, with the resurgence of the Sith now evident, I have no doubt in my mind that this generation of replicas could help sustain the balance of the force." Master Jhellows decided to speack of the moment. "Whether or not these beings were meant to fulfill a prophecy is beside the point at this time. They are alive, in stasis yes, but still living. We are bound by our mandate as Jedi to assist them." Master Skywalker agreed with T'sa's logical assessment. "Master Jhellows is correct, if we were to leave these clones in their current state they would eventually die or worse. The Sith could return to this city and might stumble upon this facility as we did." His eyes sharpened at the seriousness of his thought that choked at his heart. "There is no telling what they could do with an army of Force sensitive clones." And despite the bright lights that filled the glass hallway of the stasis chamber, it seemed to overflow with and eerie truth." Master Amtlar turned to his associates; so as to give his orders clearly. "Hail your ships, tell them to land and to prepare to take on cargo." "Master Amltar." another of the Jedi officers raised her question to the Fleet Master. ". I don't believe our ships can retain that many stasis units." The Mon Calamari answered clearer than his first order. "Then you will have to make room!"  
  
* * * Duconar is an industrial but clean world. Blue skies, clear waters and healthy plant life, but Duconar was covered by a dark cloud of evil. Recently recognized by the Galactic Senate as one of the few newly discovered, sovereign worlds of the outer-rim, it is also home to the resurging Sith order. At this time deep under the surface of Duconar's lush green valleys in a fortress absent of light Jiles is facing the consequences for his failure, at the hands of the Master herself. "YAAAAaaaaggghhh!" voice strained as his cries fell upon deaf ears. All the horrible memories of his life filled his mind, all at once and a thousand times more vivid, void of all the happy experiences, not that their were many to begin with. The flashes of his evil past flew back into his mind with such a savage impact that blood began to run from his ears. "Stop Master, please I didn't mean for the Jedi t." the Master enhanced his pain, not a being to even contemplate pity. As his pain grew, her power grew more in a never ending union of hate, and then for no reason but her own she yielded. "I hope you understand my loss in faith of you my old student." She turned to her throne, a blockish stone carved by the Dark side to fit her fragile body specifically. "You failed me Oiket, I gave you one simple mission, then your inability to succeed in that, led to another which you were unable to fulfill as well." She sat back in her throne, now deep in meditation as to let the dark side guide what she should do with her follower. Her eyes opened, she didn't know why she was to do it but she will never underestimate the Dark side of the Force. "I have listened to the Dark side, and it has ordered that I spare your life." As the blood stopped running from his head, Jiles rose to his knees, and bowed his head to his master. "Thank you Master, I will not fail you again." "You'd better hope not boy!" his head snapped back at the Masters bluntness. "I'll give you one more chance to prove your worth as a Sith." Jiles lifted his full attention to the Master. "Now listen closely for you will need all that is at your current disposal to complete this mission."  
  
* * *  
  
The Galactic Senate chamber was ready to begin its procedures for the day. Like in the days of the Old republic, each world of the Republic had a representative, and with that a hover podium so they might have an audience of the assembly, but not all was like the Old Republic in this new day and age. Unlike the Republic of two thousand past, the New Republic was not headed by a single individual. Instead the Galactic assembly was regulated by five thoughtfully selected chair members, one of which would act as a foreman. Announcing votes or the passing of legislation that was approved by the Senate, this senior board of Chancellors rarely held a vote of their own. That would rely on how quick a certain vote took to pass, or the level importance it was granted. Today's assembly might put those powers to work. Earlier this day, Supreme Chancellor Majel Antilles was informed that the Jedi council had taken priority over a matter of extreme controversy. Apparently on a recent mission to uncover the possibility of a Sith revival, they had infact managed stumble upon, a vast archive of somewhat developed clones, which are now under the protection at the Jedi Temple here on Coruscant. Even after the horrors of the Clone wars, so many years ago, the Galaxy had just started to heal from its inflicted wounds. The Supreme Chancellor knew that this would be a long debate, as she began to step into her executive podium with her fellow chancellors. Her duty as forewoman was a simple seat to fill after Egim Qulorp retired, but she felt today would not be a simple day. Each of the chancellors took their seats, and she then gave the okay for Chancellor Vek, an Ithorian, to activate the anti-inertia thrusters that would lower their podium into the Assembly chamber. At first the small craft unbuckled its security clamps, then it slowly hovered its way down to its landing port suspended directly in the middle of the chamber. "Good day!" She announced over the chamber's voice amplifiers, to a surprisingly calm attentive mass of representatives as the Chancellors podium made its landing. "On behalf of the board of chancellors I would personally like to thank every one of you for their presence here today and while I can understand that many of you have very heavy feelings over this matter, I also understand that the Jedi do nothing without best of intentions." Majel turned to her right as she waved to a special representative podium. "That is why the board recognizes the Representative Master Dorshe' Oden of the Jedi High Council to speak on behalf of the order itself." Another attribute the New Republic compared to the old, was that the Jedi order had its own podium in the Galactic Assembly. This was due in part that the Jedi now roughly equaled one-fifth of the New Republic's population, but mostly because the republic would not be what it was if not for the Jedi and their all powerful Force. The Jedi representative podium hovered its way from its docking port till it was floating just in front of the executive craft. Dorshe' was joined by Master Skywalker along with Masters Chevacca and Amtlar. She had spoken before the Assembly thousand of times before, it was her duty as the Jedi Council's Ambassador to the Republic legislation, but she knew that today her words may have a long lasting affect on the government. "My fellow representatives, I will get to the point. About Two days ago, I and four other of my fellow Jedi set off on a mission to investigate the supposed resurrection of the evil Sith Order." This caused the room to fill with mixed reaction, none of them out of order by the legislation's mandate, but none of them positive either. Master Oden waited for the representatives to calm themselves before she decided to continue. "While on route to the unknown-territory to research this possibility further, our ship sustained damage due to espionage, forcing me and my associates to land on the lost planet of Kamino, in a forgotten solar system not far of the Rishi Maze in the mid-rim." The representatives reacted silently this time so as to hear the Jedi's story. "While our ship was being treated for repairs. I and my cohort Master Yoda Skywalker." she waved her left hand to point out the short haired blonde man sitting behind her. ".decided to search the city where we landed for any signs of its population. Little did we know that we would end up making the discovery that brings us here at this time." She took a deep breathe then continued on. "I and Master Yoda had stumbled upon a veritable time-capsule. It was a grand collection of clones all from the failing days of the Old republic, consisting of senators, dignitaries and Jedi. They were to serve as a tribute to their fallen templates who suffered in the Galactic Civil war." Dorshe' reached into one of her few utility poaches that was secured to her belt and pulled out a small data patch. "With the permission of the high Chancellors, I wish to play a recording left by the creator of these replicas to provide the Assembly some insight into our actions." The Chancellors took a second to discuss this amongst themselves, and then Forewoman Antilles spoke to the representatives. "Dose anyone here oppose this viewing?" she waited for a response but got silence in return, Majel looked to Master Oden then gave her an affirming nod. Dorshe' eager to play the recording, placed the data patch into an interface slit. Then the image of Tuan We was projected over the Chancellor's podium, ten times larger than previously viewed so the Assembly could clearly see the message that had been left. Then Master Oden pressed a key on her podium control panel and the Kaminoan's voice filled the large room as she told her story. The chamber filled with reactions from Tuan We's words, as the recording continued Dorshe' noticed the looks on the other representative's faces. She could sense their emotions, most of interest, some of confusion, and a few of fear. This was her enemy now! Fear, it leads to anger and anger leads to the dark side. Just before the recording could mention anything of Quinlan Vos or the 'Old Sun Prophecy', Dorshe' carefully timed the cut off of the projection so as to make it look natural. The last thing she needed now was force feeding old Jedi tales to a room with liberal species in attendance. They would laugh the Jedi out of the Assembly, and mistake that for their true motivation for taking the Clones, which at least in Master Oden's mind, it was! "And there you have it! Once more on behalf of the Order I would be happy to take any questions at this time." "As you wish, does the Assembly have any questions for the Jedi Representative before we take a vote on this matter?" the senate waited a moment, the chancellors over looking their readouts for anyone calling permission to speak to the Assembly. The Naboo podium was first to respond. "The Board of Chancellors now recognizes the Representative Tidre Miffes from Naboo!" "Thank you High Chancellor, Master Oden I'm curious what will you do with these clones under your possession?" "Those who contain a high enough Midiclorean count will be adopted by members of the Order and raised in the teachings of the Jedi." "I see and what of the clones who don't meet those requirements to become a Jedi?" "We are currently scanning and testing all of the replicas as we speak. We are also seeing if they have any existing descendents, if so we will see that they are returned to their respective homeworlds. Anyone of the clones who don't have living family and are tested not Force, the Order will do its best to see that they find their way into safe adoptive families." "I see, thank you for your time." "No, thank you for your compassion." The Naboo podium then proceeded to dock into its holding port, as another light registered on the Chancellor's screen. "The Board now recognizes the Representative Bruce Calrissian of Bespin" "Thank you most honorable Supreme Chancellor!..." the attractive dark haired man shot Majel Antilles a broad smile, and a wink as he began to address his question. ".Dear Master Oden, You mentioned that your ship had sustained damage on your investigation of the issue of the Sith rebirth. Please if I may? How did your ship become so damaged?" Dorshe' gave the man a stone face for she knew her next statement would not set well with the Assembly. "Because the Sith sabotaged our engines." This sent the chamber in a upheaval, but Dorshe' and the other Jedi kept their composure as Chancellor Antilles tried to sway the room to calm themselves. "Order! Order! Let there be order in this Assembly! NOW!" her final word silenced the chamber, displaying just why she was the Forewoman over the Assembly. She began to recompose herself then returned her attention to the Bespin podium. "Anything else you wish to add Mr. Calrissian?" "No your honor." He choked. "I'm satisfied." And he returned to his designated docking port. The chancellors now focused on the Jedi Podium before them, as Forewoman Antilles addressed Dorshe'. "Are we aware that you are basing your assumption of the Sith revival on an act of terrorism. What evidence can you provide to prove your statement Master Jedi." Knowing Dorshe' would have to cross this bridge Master Skywalker interjected with a data patch of his own. "This you're Honor!" Yoda then placed the patch in the same slit as Master Oden had earlier, and pressed the 'Display' key and several images off the battle on Kamino rotated in the open space of the grand chamber. "These were taken from ours ship's surveillance scopes." He announced. ".they depict a battle that we pursued against a band a men dressed in black and wielding Lightsabres, the traditional weapon of the Jedi and the Sith. After they sabotaged our ship they tracked us to the planet Kamino in an attempt to subdue me and my companions. But they failed, currently there are two bodies in our possession now undergoing postmortem investigation. Those corpses were part of that group who tried to assassinate us on Kamino." The Chancellor was without words for the moment, realizing that she was correct after all; this was going to be a long day!  
  
Bretew sat in his new self claimed office, his legs crossed and propped on Jiles's old desk, soaking in his promotion as he lit a death stick. With Jilse gone to confront the Master in person to beg forgiveness for his failure to kill the Jedi on Kamino, he took a puff as he realized the slick haired human would not return. Little did the red Nitko actually know that Jiles was still alive and making his way back to his office, that's when Bretew sensed his presence, for he himself was shocked to discover that the human remained breathing. He didn't even bother to remove himself from the leather chair, as Jiles entered the dark room aboard the invisible Sith destroyer. With a grimace like no other, he headed straight for the Sith Knight occupying his favorite chair as the light was sealed from outside the black empty room. Bretew turned his head to greet Jiles, mocking him. "So how did your meeting with th.Gahk!" Jiles's eyes began to burn with pure hatred as he lifted the ignorant alien from his seat by his throat, not even laying a hand on Bretew, Jiles reclaimed his seat as the spiked being floated above his silver desk. "Don't you dare think I'm stupid enough not to catch on to what you're up to!" Jiles shot to an immobile Bretew. " Gak.'Cough'.Hgrmmm." Jiles tightened his grip around Bretew's scaly neck. "You want me gone, fine! You can expect no lees from my feelings for you!" He released Bretew from his invisible grip, and took internal joy from watching him fall into the cold metallic floor." But deception among our order is what devastated our ancestors, they let their petty rivalries get the better of them and in return the Sith fell to the Jedi." He met the eyes of the rising Bretew's, still nursing his sore neck. "If we are to succeed in the destruction of the Jedi Order, we must put our hatred aside for another time, so as not to divert the Sith from achieving true 'Glory'. The reptile complied with a nod as he folded his hands behind his Back. "What does the Master wish of us this time?" Jiles leaned back in his seat, giving off a pleasing smile. "I' am glad you asked." He pulled out a small touch panel, and placed it on his desk, lightly pushing it over to his colleague. Bretew took the Panel in the same hand he used to cradle his sore, he looked over the text and a smile grew on his face as Jiles continued. "Do you understand our new mission my friend?" Bretew first responded with a wide grin and then complied. "Yes, I do my friend!" "Good now go assemble a new task force we will need everything under the Master's disposal to achieve this mission." He rotated his chair to the view of Duconar that lie upon his large view port as Bretew began to exit. "Bretew, I will not accept failure on this mission, not from myself or anyone under me! Understood!" Jiles then picked up Bretew's death stick so as to calm his nerves, he took one deep inhale. The Nitko continued walking out as light slipped into the office he complied once more. "Yes, quite clear!" Then darkness fluttered from the room as Bretew left, a blackness nowhere equaled to that of Jiles's heart. 


	9. CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9  
  
Yoda spent most of his time after the senate hearing in his quarters, organizing the development protocols for the Clones now kept in the Temples Medical-Research Labs and all the while R2 slept in his personal recharge port. Only ten months until they are ready to be hatched! The thought had just dawned on him, but that truly depended on the individual clone's progression during the gestation period. Luckily Forewoman Antilles and the Board of High Chancellors had allowed the Order to contain the replicas until the point where they would no longer need to rely on stasis tubes. After such a time, it was agreed by the Galactic Assembly, for any Force sensitive Jedi to remain under the care of the Jedi. Any of the other clones who did not meet these standards were to be returned to their respective decedents. If a non-Jedi clone did not have any living biological relatives, they are to be put up for adoption under regulation of the Jedi High Council. Fortunately after Council Member, Master Dyaz, sent out a copy of each clone's files to the every governing body in the Republic, only One hundred and five of them turned out to have no living family, but many of those governments' dignitaries offered to take in the replicas themselves. Leaving a sparse forty clones that the Council would have find homes for, which left Master Skywalker with even more reports to file not to mention all the personnel databanks he would have to create for Master Librarian Tebon Flobe to store in the Jedi archives. Only taking time to sleep, eat or meditate. Yoda would have been locked away in his abode at the Temple for almost a full week, If Master Chevacca and Master Oden didn't decide to pay him a visit. The door slid open, and the friendly Jedi Masters strolled into Skywalker's room. "How are the documents coming along Yoda?" Dorshe' asked in her simple calming voice as she and Chevacca took a seat on a small couch across from the work area in the dull blue and grey room. "Their arriving very slowly." He rotated his chair to his fellow Masters, noting that the Wookiee's hair was braided back in a new manner, as opposed to the last time he saw him. "Training the clans how to braid hair again Master Chevacca?" "Actually I believe this clan took a much more unique approach compared to the last I time I let them. They decided it would be much more efficient if they were to overlap after they had already double braided." "Well it's very comforting to know that my son could always pursue a career as a hair dresser, if he doesn't follow the path of a Jedi." Dorshe' added as she patted her stomach simultaneously "You already know the gender of your child?" a questioning look fell onto the two male Jedi's faces. "Isn't it a little early for fetal scanners to detect your baby's sex?" She eyed Skywalker, thinking that he should know better than to ask an expecting Jedi mother such a question. "When one is attune to the force they do not need such tools to tell what they can already perceive." The room then filled with friendly chuckles as they shared in the obvious nature of that last comment. The laughter soon died down and Chevacca brought more news to Yoda's attention since his temporary absence from the Council. "Have you heard?" "Heard what?" "The Council has approved for Grem Venad to undergo the Trials of Jedi Noble." This information continued to please Master Skywalker's heart. "This is excellent news, Grem will make a great Jedi Knight!" He smiled. "When is the affirmation ceremony to be held?" "Tonight, before first rise." Dorshe' praised. "That's what brought us here to you, the entire Council should be present for this event." "You are correct my friend, I should be there for Venad for if not for his bravery on Kamino, I might not be here now." He dazed off as he thought back to that fateful duel on the water world and how the skilled Vurk managed to bring down his Rodian opponent before any harm came to Skywalker or Romdel. "Besides I could stand to get away from all this paper work for one night." "Well that's good to hear." Chevacca quickly returned back to the first topic. "Have you yet to identify the clone's templates" "Gradually I have stumbled on to a few of the Jedi clones names, but as of now I'm doing my best to find suitable candidates for adoption of the non-force sensitive replicas. "The bearded man began to chuckle. "My own ancestors and I wouldn't be any the wiser." "Hopefully we will have all the clones in the lab sorted out." Dorshe' eyes grew of possible intrigue. "There's no telling what historical heroes we have in our possession, we could learn so much from just their very presence alone." "And then there is the Prophecy!" Chevacca added. "With the Sith raising itself from the grave we will need to keep tract of every one of those Replicas. They more than likely know the story of the Old Sun as well as we do, which makes everyone of those unborn beings a target for evil." The Master's intuition startled Master Skywalker, he could sense that Dorshe' understood this possibility before hand, for she only bowed her eyes to her abdomen as Chevacca spoke. He also wished to bring up a question to the Wookiee's attention to which he regreted asking. "Chevacca" he caught the hairy ones focus. "Back on Kamino, the Sith you battled with, I feel as though I sensed his presence before. Did you know him?" the Jedi bit at his sharp teeth. "Yes Yoda, I do know who it was. It was Bretew." Shock had almost overcome Master Skywalker, Dorshe' simply sat there lost among the twos discussion. "Who is Bretew?" She asked to her friends. The Wookiee began rub his left arm, Yoda sympathetically understood why for he was there when he had lost it before. Chevacca bowed his head in pain as he explained who exactly this dark assailant was. "Bretew was a Jedi master." This brought a bitter taste to master Oden's mouth. "Not just that, he was my Master." The bile continued to rise in her mouth, even Master Skywalker started to be ill by hearing this again. "When I was a Padawan, I and Bretew were sent to Kintan, his home world. To settle a minor trade dispute, but what I didn't know was that the dispute was between a small Gamorrean mining company and my Master's family, a family of entrepreneurs trying to make it big in the galaxy. Except their methods were illegal, they attempted to smuggle raw materials from the company and were caught red-handed." Dorshe' interrupted. "Was this before the advancements in matter-synthesizers?" "Actually this was just before, which is why the dispute became so heated. One day I and my former Master talked the two parties into a meeting to settle the feud. But Bretew's family was not happy with the proposal the Gamorreans offered them. They instigated a fight, and one of the Gamorreans pulled a weapon on Bretew's family and killed his Sister." The Jedi's eyes hardened as he continued on. "My old Master in an act of vengeful rage striked down the Gamorean who shot his sibling, and killed the others as well, knowing that his actions were wrong I confronted him with my Lightsabre. We fought long and hard, but one of his brothers brandished a weapon of their own and shot me while we clashed, diverting my focus long enough for Bretew to slash his blade through my arm." Chevacca grabbed him limb to remind him it was still there. "But he spared my life, ordering his family to leave me for dead, and completely abandoning The Jedi by doing so." He closed his eyes so as to recenter his feelings around the Force. "I managed to find the Jedi watchman at the time for Kintan, Saliv Romdel, and he informed the local government of what happened as he found my way to a hospital to treat my wounds." "Luckily for Chevacca, that facility had just received the new technology needed to genetically reproduce his new arm." Skywalker made clear to the now informed Oden. "I was out of field commission for two months, until I found Master Rayner to help me complete my training." "Bretew was the first Jedi master to leave the Order in three hundred years, and no one knew of his whereabouts until that fateful night on Kamino." Yoda stated. "But he was not the last, ever since Bretew left the Jedi there have been six other disappearances of Force sensitive individuals before they could begin to receive Jedi training." "Yes I know, I spoke to each of their representative homeworld leaders to apologize for their loss, and again for our inability to recover the kidnapped victims." Dorshe's mind then returned to that night on Kamino. "If my memory serves me right, two of those victims were a pair of twin boys from New Alderaan." She looked over to Yoda, knowing that he had thought against an identical duo of Sith warriors. He met her eyes then realized the impact of her words. "The Sith." "They are the ones responsible for those kidnappings, which can only mean that they are trying to do one thing." "They are attempting to amass an Army for the Dark side." This new epiphany on the Masters was unsettling in their minds, and as hard as they might try to wish it away, they can not escape that gut feeling of truth. "We must not let this happen, the Order has come too far to let itself fall to the dark side again!" the Wookiee growled.  
  
Master Skywalker could do nothing but concur. "Chevacca is right, after the ceremony I wish to call the Council together. We will need to discuss this matter in better detail so we may prepare ourselves for an incursion."  
  
Chancellor Antilles sat in her large plush arm chair centered in the study room of her penthouse which overlooked Coruscant's cloud cutting skyscrapers and delicious sunset. Surrounded by hand picked colors of calm velvet purples and light silvers, this chair had saved her back from the enduring pains that followed after her long twelve hour work schedule. Why does this retched planet run on a thirty eight hour day calendar. She kidded to herself as she slinked farther into her favorite piece of furniture, knowing very well that unlike most individuals, she got four of those eight day weeks off to herself. If you could consider managing a family between maintaining a galactic legislature time off. Majel Antilles was a proud mother of two beautiful healthy offspring, a boy Rian of eleven years age and a curly red haired daughter Suezan, six years younger than her brother. Every day before she would go to the Senate building, Majel would see her husband, Wil off to work after breakfast then she would leave the children in care of her trusted Nanny droid, 'Pearl'. Valuing self education over institutional. The Forewoman took assurance that her children would be safe at home with the beloved robot, but she always set time away from her work to spend time with her family, going to 'Grand park' in the Nemanti district or going to holo-shows at the projection theatre in the complex adjacent to her own apartment building. Majel also feared that her children would become lonely, so when ever she could, she would send Rian and Suezan to join in on community youth activities. This also gave Antilles more time to savoir with her handsome husband. She loved him dearly, and he in return loved her she knew through the testament of time that they were meant to be together. Any other engineer probably couldn't stand to be married to a politician, but he did and she didn't ever want to stop thanking him from it. She sunk even deeper into her soft chair as she heard the door open from behind her, dreading it might be the children wanting to play with mommy after a long day of even more dreadful paper work. She buried her face into a pillow, stating in her best diplomatic voice. "Not now children. Mommy is very tired, she'll come play with you in a." she yielded herself to the strong hands that snuck themselves onto her shoulders, realizing that they could only belong to the one person who could always rub her the right way. "Long day at the office again Mae?" he was the only person who called her by that silly nickname, he knew she hated it but she loved him enough for easing tensions to let it go this time. "You of all people should know I have no short days at the office any more." She lifted the cushion from her face so she could kiss her husband's lips. Her eyes met her lovers as they parted. "Where are the children?" Asleep, the three of us spent the entire day at the Jedi zoo in the New Ossus district while you were at work. Little Sue couldn't get enough of the baby Reeks that hatched in the new exhibit." "Hmm that's nice." she murmured as her husband squeezed next to her in the armchair. She nestled her head into her partner's chest and began to drift away. "How was your day?" she peered at him as if she thought he actually wanted to know. "Busy, I spent most of the morning reviewing legislative reports from a few concerned members of the Assembly. Most of which focused on the issue of the 'Old Republic' clones." "I see!" Wil began to drift as well. "Ever since the Jedi discovered those replicas, my job has been increasingly more stressful." Her voice began to reflect a more discouraging tone. "Tomorrow I have to go to the other side of the planet and join Master Oden as she gives a status report to the chief administrative board of science for the united districts guild. It will be her last act as Jedi representative before she goes on a temporary leave of her duties." "Why is she going on leave?" he raised an eyebrow, even though Majel couldn't see his reaction with his head propped on top of hers. "You haven't heard?" she remarked, "Dorshe' is expecting to have a child, poor woman, it's like a blessing left from her late husband." "Are you sure it is her husband's?" she elbowed her lover's inopportune, insensitive gut, and finally met his eyes with her own. "Yes I'm sure! Jedi marriage vows are much more devotional than the average traditions of the Republic. When a Jedi picks a mate, they remain bonded till even beyond their partner's passing, besides even if they weren't Jedi Dorshe' loved Pacres too much to ever commit such an act." "Your right" Wil yielded to his wife's superior grasp on logic, and embraced her once more as a non-verbal apology. The Odens became good friends to the Antilles family after the couple risked their own lives to save their daughter from falling out of a public transport, part of why the children now undergo home schooling. "I owe her too much to think in such a manner." "Yes you do! But enough about my day! How was yours?" "Tedious, all I did was over see a shipment of survo-capasitors that took away from most of our work schedule, because Jimne Write forgot to release the docking clamps." He took out an exhale of frustration. "When will that boy ever learn?" "As soon as his supervisor learns!" She giggled in that childish giggle that Wil Antilles fell in love with. "Why you little." he took the pillow she used to cover her face earlier and forced it back into its prior location, and that's when the feathers started to fly!  
  
"I can't believe it!" Mortep was in complete rage as he slammed his fists against his useless hyperdrive engine. "I have spent the past twelve days toiling on this engine, taking it apart piece by piece and then putting it back together in every possible configuration and for what? Nothing!" the Weequay was correct, after the attack by the Republic fleet, the Lucky Bantha had seen her final day. "Platog, how are the repairs coming on the communications array?" "What Communications array?" the grease covered Dug said as he held the remnants of what was the comm. system in his tiny lower left hand. "We lost a majority of our communications system in the attack we couldn't send a signal to the Bridge if it were still there." "Well thank you for reminding me of our pleasant situation Platog! Now go see if you can fix something!" the Dug mumbled something in his native tongue to Mortep, but the pirate captain was to busy trying to defy death to even care about listening to his subordinate. "This is it!" He said to himself. "This is how I'm going to die. All these years of plundering, building up investments, and I'm not even going to get the chance to enjoy my retirement." He began to pull his laser staff to his temple. "Well no use in dying slowly, I'll just save time the trouble." Platog entered the room just before he could pull the trigger. "Mortep a ship just entered the area from Hyperspace!" "What?' he lowered the gun from his head and turned to the three foot grey being. "How do you know a ship is entering the area if are sensors are still down?" "Yes." He began to point to one of the small view ports as a large crimson ship entered its frame. "But we still have windows!" Mortep peeked out the port, and reached for his weapon once more. "The Republic, they've returned to finish us off!" "Mortep its been almost two weeks since the republic first attacked us, why would they have spent so much time to hunt us down when we have remained adrift as long as that?" the Weequay gave him a distasteful cock eyed look. "To make us suffer of course." The Dug returned the look with one of dull disbelief. Knowing full well that Mortep had lost his senses to cabin fever "That's a scout ship you dimwit! It wasn't even part of the Fleet that attacked us. They were most likely making a run of the nearby system and picked up the signs of our leaking ion containers, but hay if you want to take on a ship full of Republic officers that's fine with me. I'd prefer to let them take me back to Coruscant and face a court rather then spend another day in this oversized scrape hulk with a loon like yourself." The Dug then took one of his mighty lower arms and punched Mortep in the nose and the much larger man simply fell unconscious. "Consider that my breach of contract." And the leather skinned creature walked to their one remaining docking port to await his reluctant capture. 


	10. CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 10  
  
It was dusk in the New Ossus district, the largest single district on all of Coruscant. It was where all the Jedi of the great city-planet dwelled, so as not to remain far from the Temple, located in the center of the residence. Little known to most individuals is that all the buildings in the New Ossus district were constructed together as one giant addition to the Jedi Temple, actually making it the single largest building in the entire republic. An omnificent niche, created to show the Jedi's commitment to the Force, it contained every thing any civilization would need to maintain itself, the Temple, living accommodations, market centers from all over the galaxy and even the incredible science and research labs. Which led to much of the advancement in today's modern technology. It has been said around the planet, that if Coruscant were to collapse, only two things would remain. The tremor roaches and the New Ossus district, but after the Jedi purge during the Galactic Civil War. No one could blame the Jedi for wanting to be somewhat self-reliant. Many coruscantians considered the Jedi a good and respectful people and Grem Venad is a fine example of the Jedi which the people of Coruscant look to when they assess the Order in such a manner. This was his day, Grem had earned this moment after so many years of service for the Order and for the republic. The Temple hall was full this evening with many beings of all walks of life. Faces he knew from his time spent amongst fellow Jedi, and others he only knew through the great bond that is in the Force. All dawned in their formal Jedi attire, except for Grem's family of course he was the first of his lineage to enter into Jedi training, but fortunately not the last prior to his niece's arrival, Grem had gotten word that she had been accepted to undergo the teachings herself, this news only enhanced the Vurk's pleasure as he began to walk down the aisle that would lead him to his inauguration into the status of Jedi noble. He tried his best to remain focused, but Grem couldn't help but look at the people in audience through the corner of his eye. He saw his family, His father overcome with pride that he not dare let the tears he fought back seep during this great celebration, while his mother on the other hand couldn't help but cry as her little hatchling strolled past. Luckily she had his Sister Litroo, there with a handkerchief ready for their overly emotional mother even as her eyes began to water themselves. The young Venad also saw many of his clansmen, from when he first entered the temple, he was the last of them to become a knight but he was also the youngest of the group so his pride didn't diminish because of it. Even Master Skywalker's wife was present, Master Angel Skywalker, and their twins Davis and Anna, there are so many people here, he thought, all here for me? Yes my former apprentice Saliv Romdel entered Grem's mind, all for you and you deserve nothing less, remember that! Yes my Master! I'm not your Master anymore my friend. This realization almost saddened the Vurk's mood, but he could feel nothing but love from the hall full of Jedi. His walk seemed never ending, but Grem could finally see the platform upon which the Jedi Council stood waiting for the young reptilian they would grant knighthood. The twelve Masters aligned themselves in an order parallel to the thin elongated platform. Master Skywalker was present center with Master Chevacca, and guest Master Romdel, Master Oden was there as well in line with the other Masters, between Jhellows at the end and Amtlar nearer to the center. The Vurk had knelt before the Masters as he found his way to the small platform. Then Master Skywalker spoke to the massive cathedral's audience, enhancing his voice to the thousands of people by inserting his voice into their minds. "The Force is everything." he paused. ".And everything is the Force." The Jedi in attendance replied, echoing through out the entire temple itself as starlight soon seeped in the enormous stain glass windows, offering the only light into the room. Yoda turned his focus back to the calm Venad. "Grem Venad, Vurk, of the planet Sembla, Former Padawan of the esteemed Master Saliv Romdel. You have now come to a crossroad that will define a Jedi for the rest of his existence, and quite possibly the universe itself. You are in the presence of your family in the Force, while not all of the Order could be here in this room, they are all with you in the Force, celebrating your great achievement. If you were ever to forget who you were, by all hopes never forget this. They are with you, and you are with them as you always have been, except now you are no longer a student, you are a teacher, a leader, a warrior and most importantly you are Jedi. Go with the Force, It has lead you this far and it will never fail you, for you have yet to deny its embrace. Stronger than any other temptation, any emotion and any evil that you could ever face. It is with a great honor that I bestow upon you the title of Jedi Noble, and all the responsibilities in which are embodied in it. Will you raise your sabre to your former Master's, in its first ignited as the weapon of a Jedi knight." With great content, Grem reached for his Lightsabre, as did Saliv to his weapon, simultaneously igniting their Green and sunfire blades then placing them together in a crossfire of gratitude. "Fellow Jedi and friends alike!" Yoda continued, "I present to you, Grem Venad, Jedi Knight." And the Temple filled with the sounds of joy and appreciation, an endless sea of welcome. "Thank you my Master!" Grem began to tear as he embraced his teacher. "You speak as if this is an ending Grem," he remarked then looked up to his former students parted dark eyes. "This is only your beginning, it's a small galaxy I will see you again, but now let us not look to then. Stay focused on this time for now, you earned it." "Yes.Saliv." The sounds continued as the High Council members made their way to the watchtower.  
  
* * *  
  
Cyphres Station was in essence a huge collection of antique starships that some smuggler decided to weld together and toss in the orbit of a giant rock and just call it a star base. But for some unexplainable reason, all of the galaxies pirates, bounty hunters and general lowlifes seemed to accumulate here. If Jiles Oiket was going to find anyone gullible enough to help him fulfill his mission, he'd definitely find them here. For the right price of course, flying one of the Sith destroyer's many fighters, so as to remain inconspicuous, Jiles landed the small tri-winged craft in one of Cyphres's makeshift hanger bays. There he was greeted by a small hover droid looking for identification. For a smuggler's hideout, the station sure did pride itself with its security. When the drone asked for his identification Jiles responded with. "Jiles Oiket, Sith." The tiny surveillance droid began to shake, then zoomed away from what danger it knew the dark man would bring. He followed the flying robot as it made its way to a large access door, which led onto the Cyphres's promenade. A large grungy room filled with smoke littered air, and even filthier establishments. He couldn't turn a corner without pointing out at least three bars, and they all offered the same items to drink, as if they figured their customers would get so drunk they couldn't find their way back to the same bar. Jiles didn't bother looking in those places, no self respecting bounty hunter would reduce themselves to associating with even that level of scum. That's when the black uniformed Sith ended up where he needed, Grappa the Hutts Twi'lek dancer's club. Probably the one decently managed business on all the station. While it did have Twi'lek slave girls, who are known for their seductive, rhythmic dances that could seduce any man's heart it also contained many other beautiful scantly clad signers and waitresses from any planet that could produce such beautiful women. That's why it wasn't cheap, any man who could afford to board in Grappa's motel had to be a Bounty hunter, or well paid smuggler. Jiles knew this is where he would find the being to help him carry out his actions. He walked up to the entrance of the club, only to be greeted by the face of a smug, snout nosed quad tusked Gamorrean. "Welcome to Grappa's you go." He didn't t even bother to let the creature finish talking, he just waved his hand past the green man's face so as to dull him to his knowledge so Jiles could just head straight in. Jiles wasn't surprised by what he saw, this was not the first time he ever stepped in to a club owned by a Hutt. The room was like most others, many different platforms so the slaves could dance for the customers, each one a different kind of girl, but there were many more girls on the floor serving drinks to all the dazed men. All except one that is, Jiles could see this one man a human of a complexion only equaled to the darkness of the Sith's heart. He was the only one, who sat at a table alone, but he wore a uniform similar to that of a few others in the room but his garb was more decorative than theirs. He was their superior, Jiles could sense it in this man he knew how to get things done, and this was the man he was looking for. Oiket only dawned in his slick black uniform walked up to the man as his leather boots clicked against the steel floor. He then pulled up a chair for himself next to the man with the goatee, and just stared at the human girl dancing before them in a shred of well-placed cloth some might consider clothing acting as if she were truly the focus of his mind. Jiles waited until the man next to him said something before he brought up a conversation. "I prefer to sit alone stranger." "And I'd prefer to get a drink but I'm not going to get that with this kind service." He returned as the man shot Jiles a fowl a sharp expression then proceeded to look him over without moving his head as he reached for his drink. "Let me guess?" he took a sip from his small glass. "You work for a very powerful person who is looking accomplish something that the Republic wouldn't let them do am I right?" "So far." Jiles was impressed by this mans obvious display of his experience. "And who ever you work for sent you here to a place like this to look for people like me and my crew to do what they can't right.?" "Pretty much." "Well then I'll cut to the chase, I expect to be paid no less than I demand, understood?" "You accomplish what my employer wants done, and I guarantee your financial needs will be more than met." "I'll hold you to that stranger." He then inhaled the remnants of his beverage. "Well." Jiles added. "If my employer is going to sign the check, she'll need to know your name." The man gave of Jiles a stare only a Sith could withstand. "Names' Tagro." his eyes sharpend into Jiles's so as to make his name clearly known. ".Tagro Fett." The name did strike a nerve in Oiket, everyone who ever dwelled in the Republic knew of the bounty hunter named Fett, and whether or not this man was his descendent, he could still be feared for even bearing up such a title. "I'm Jiles Oiket, I' am a Sith lord." Jiles waited for a reaction to appear but Tagro remained stone faced as the overhearing dancer above them quietly stepped down from her platform, so as to avoid the dark duo. "So your one of those people, believe in the dark side and all that I assume. So what do you want from me?" A smile grew on Jiles's face. "You Mr. Fett are going to help me strike a personal blow against the Jedi." "How so?" Fett questioned. "Have you heard of the Holonet reports? The Jedi have come into the possession of a large quantity of clones left behind from the days before the Empire. It has come to my employer's attention that there is one clone that she would wish acquire for her own purposes." "What would you have me and my people do about that?" "We'll see to that when you assemble your crew, then I will give you your orders."  
  
There was a calm somber feeling that filled the Jedi watchtower, the council had come together soon after Grem Venad's inauguration into Knighthood. Coruscant was now in nightfall, only the light from the great skyscrapers had filled the sky, welcoming the night with a leash to secure itself. All the members were present to hear what a concerned Master Skywalker wished to address. "We are now fully aware that the Sith resurrection is now a truth. This congregation has be called together to assess are actions against this dark threat." Yoda bowed his head for a moment calling upon the Force's intuition to guide his words further. "What we do know is that over the last thirty years, the former Jedi Master Bretew joined into their evil graces." Chevacca began to claw at the arms of his chair, to surppress his feelings of his former Master. This created an equally disturbing tone amongst the other Masters. "It has also come to our knowledge that over the period of time since Bretew's absence from the Order leading to this day that there have been a number of kidnappings of individuals prior to their entrance into Jedi training. I along with Masters Chevacca and Oden believe that the Sith are responsible for these disappearances." Dorshe' added to Yoda's briefing. "The two Sith corpses we obtained after our battle on Kamino have been identified as Jorex and Dorex Rellings, twin brothers from the planet, New Alderaan. These brothers were on their way to Coruscant to pursue the Jedi teachings when their ship was thought to have been destroyed eighteen years ago." "It is now safe to assume that the Sith have been creating an army for themselves for a propose only to better their needs." Chevacca continued. "There have also been numerous reports of missing persons from planets all over the Republic, none of which have yet to be solved." The council took time to digest what their peers have just divulged. Master Paris Barrings, also of New Alderaan raised his thought on this startling news. "Is there any possible way to believe that Prophecy is coming true, that the clones are to help us combat a possible Sith attack." "I believe that the Force has been preparing us for this attack, before we discovered the replicas." Master Oden added. ".ever since the attack of the Yuuzhan Vong, the Force has gradually taught the Jedi more and more ways to connect through the force. This can explain our huge numbers; there are more Jedi today than there have ever been in all of recorded history. Also we are much more powerful than the Jedis of the past." "Which means that most likely the Sith have grown in their powers as well, in which case we will need all of the Jedi to fight against this new threat." Skywalker concluded. The Council knew that they were preaching the truth. "We should begin to conceive a plan to thwart this Sith incursion." Jhellows stated, practically volunteering to take the Sith this very moment. "Master Jhellows is correct we need to make the proper preparations so as to ready our forces for an attack from Dark side." Amtlar agreed in a calm neutral tone. "I will prepare the fleet and reinforce our Jedi Watchmen for each planet. The Republic should be more than willing to offer any assistance we will need." "Then it will be your responsibility to go to the Republic military branch and request that assistance Master Amtlar." Chevacca included into the Mon Calamari's game plan. "After this meeting, Master Oden will be on leave." "Actually I will go on leave tomorrow; this is my last council meeting. Anything you are planning to do that would involve informing the Senate you will have to handle yourself for a while." "I understand and accept the responsibility you bestow upon me." Baldos bowed his head as a sign of respect for the mother-to-be. "You will be missed Dorshe', and we wish you and your future son the best the Force has to offer." Skywalker included as a tear of gratitude slipped down the beautiful Orveasian's face. Skywalker then began to readdress the council "Now let us go with the force, and ready ourselves for the upcoming confrontation." The Jedi Council departed, knowing what they needed to do. The Force would guide them and they would rely on it and each other to overcome the Dark side. Master Amtlar and Master Jhellows would ready the Jedi Fleet, assigning ships to secure new taskforces and doubling the number of Jedi watchmen for each planet ordering them to be aware of Sith activates. Master Chevacca and the other masters would ready the Jedi training clans, reinforcing the teaching of methods to combat the dark warriors. Master Skywalker would return to his study in the temple, so as to continue his work with the clones, and all the while Dorshe' would be asked to just sit by and give birth to the next generation that would be birthed into this war against evil. Her feelings toward this realization were not fond emotions.  
  
Platog was a very content with his cell, the dug had dwelled in worse holes from his time spent on Dantooine, and even his quarters aboard the Lucky Bantha were nothing compared to the prisons on Coruscant. All he had ever wanted to survive was in his containment room; there was a snytho for his replicated food needs, a holoprojector for news and entertainment uses and even a view of the great planet's industrial landscape. He couldn't imagine a better setup, the only draw back, he was sentenced to just three years luck while Mortep was committed for a minimum of forty years, at least on good behavior. He had it made, and there wasn't any smuggling runs to worry about, no disgruntled employers to deal with and the authorities could now care less of his existence. "Can't get any worse than this right here." He said as he rested his primitive body on the padded concrete bedding. Gazing off into the luscious city night life pass him by as he reaps the benefits of their great governments kind judiciary system. 


	11. CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11  
  
The Temple was busy today, as it was every other day, but today was different than those other days. This day, to the Jedi was the first day of war and they were in the worst possible position to be in during war. They were blind, they could not see any evil that would be among them. They cannot do anything to defeat something they could not see. All they could do was keep the Force closer to their heart, focus on it more than the breaths they took, and rely on its insight to guide their actions because it would be the actions of their enemy that would determine how they dealt their first blow. The Jedi did not fear the Sith, they cheated their purge, they defied the dark side, and they will destroy what ever evil the Sith put into the light. The Jedi would first attack at their home; they would live their lives as they always have. The New Ossus district would open its shops on time. The children would still come to see one of the Planets greatest zoos, and the Temple will still give tours to the Galactic Senate Board of Chancellors and their respective aides, as led by the legendary C-3PO. ".And this is the great hall, After the Reconstruction of the Temple, this hall was added to pay respect to all the heroes who lost their lives in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, ever since that time the great hall has become a tribute to all the heroes of the Republic's history." The shining golden protocol droid pointed to several of the memorials and portraits that lie in the great hall as he guided the group of high ranking politicians to their desired destination. ".There is Luke Skywalker, Hero of the rebellion against the empire and the man who single handedly set the foundation for the New Jedi Order and over there that is Zeramer Grek., he helped unify the Outlawing worlds of the outer-rim with the rest of the Galactic Republic. Sadly he lost his life defending the Republic during a scuffle with Imperial fanatics who were trying to rebuild the Empire, but how could this display being anymore complete without." The Droid pointed to a twelve foot statue of a stubby looking creature, with large prominent ears that pointed out the sides of his head. "Yoda, the greatest Jedi master of all time, despite his small size, Yoda was the one who taught Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force, and subsequently saved the Republic by doing so. It has been told through the old Jedi Holocrons, that Yoda once used the force to pull a moon back into its orbit while he was on another planet over a thousand light years away. Truly a great and remarkable feat of the imagination, what it must have been like to see such a grand event." Sub-chancellor Saias Opper waited for a moment where he could politely ask the talkative robot. "Pardon me, but I and my associates have a very busy schedule to abide by, and we would prefer to save this tour for another more convenient time. Could you please guide us to the Temple's Laboratory, so we might see the clones?" The emotionless face of 3PO, could only comply to his guest's wishes, it wasn't in his programming to be impolite. "Well then. If that is what you desire, by all means please follow me." The protocol unit led the dignitaries to the end of the great hall, where one of the many hatches to the trans-lift system was placed. 3PO typed in a code that would grant access for the Chancellors to the secure science level deep within the temple. "Please step into the lift!" the droid said as a pair of double doors opened in front of them. They calmly stepped into the round cylindrical compartment with 3PO following in behind them. He tapped the panel key which would motivate the lift to head for the Laboratory. The lift then began to move, swiftly but not as to disturb the passengers to much thanks given to the inertia- dampeners. It took less than a minute to reach the lab. When the lift came to a complete halt, C-3PO announced; "Sub-level twenty, Science and research development.", then pressed the panel once more to release the political guests. The room was very steel and silver colored, large as well, an immense warehouse of small stasis tubes, all stored in tall pillars evenly marked off so as to keep equal organization of the seventeen thousand some clones. The Chancellors posse was greeted by Master Yoda Skywalker, and Master Shi-Dal-Kunda, a female Cerean also of the Jedi High Council. "Welcome Chancellors, I hope your visit thus far has been pleasant?" "Quite, Master Skywalker. Your protocol droid here can lead a very indulging tour." Saias Opper expelled, in a manner best befitting to a politician, causing the Droid to nod in a respectful etiquette, so as to not offend the Gran male. "Well I'm glad to hear that he wasn't too much trouble, some say 3PO is a bit talkative." The droid made a small infuriated noise his master didn't hear. "I do apologize for the absence of our esteemed Forewoman Majel Antilles." Yoda looked into the three-eyed being so as to make his statement clear to the diplomat. "No worry, I understand that the Forewoman is a very busy person, infact if I'm not misinformed. I believe your Chancellor Antilles and our Master Oden are attending the same conference, in which case we are both in default." The yellow gram gave a hardy chuckle, causing his peers to smirk at Saias's remarkable laugh. All except for his aide, an oriental human female by the name of Jillill Cole, she didn't care much for her employer's laugh or her for employer in general. "Chancellor Opper, may I introduce to you my colleague, Jedi Master Shi-Dal-Kunda." The pale skinned woman bowed her pointed head in a sigh of respect to the Chancellor. "It is an honor to meet you Saias Opper." "The pleasure is mine." He smirked again. "May I introduce my cohorts." the Gran waved his arm to the five other formally garbed individuals standing to his left. ".Chancellor Maltif Fren, of Iridonia." the horn-headed man, bowed from the waist formally. "..Chancellor Kinn Kwar of Sullust." the four foot, empty eyed gilled being nodded his head energenically. ".Chancellor Emily Orion, and her aide Zak Aviskis." the two humans bowed as well, as Saias turned to Jillill on his right. ".and of course my ever useful aide, Jillill Cole." She gave a simple nod of compliance. "Well Master Skywalker now that the friendly introductions are out of the way, shall you tell us a little bit more about these clones of yours?" "As you wish." Yoda turned to Shi. The Cerean began to walk down the aisle, Following Master Skywalker's lead as the group passed the pillars of replicas. "As you might already be aware, these clones have remained in suspended animation for well over two-millennia. Over that period of time the beings have become conditioned to the slower rate of development leading up to the stasis-lock this can make it difficult for the clones to live a normal lifespan. If they aren't processed slowly back into their casual state of growth, it could lead to complications later in life. Such as unnatural or speeded growth, or a high intolerance to certain diseases, we want to prevent this possibility. Ever since their arrival at the temple we have been doing our best to slowly return the clones to their proper rate of gestation. As soon as this is completed, we will release the clones from stasis and hatch them when their gestation period is finished." "How old will the clones be once they hatch?" Chancellor Kwar asked. "Technically this will be each of the clones first time they will become aware of their surroundings in comparison by age, they will be no older than a new born child." The Sullustian, nodded once more in agreement. "What will you do to help them adjust to the medical advancements?" Chancellor Orion inquired. "Surely our generational medical treatments were not present during the time of the clone's original conception." "As the deceleration of the clones stasis lock continues, are scientists are also injecting the Bacta-five serum into their nervous system, so they will adjust to our new medical technology." Master Kunda then pointed to the stasis tank to the group's left that contained a small Kel Dor fetus, named Plo Koon. "As you can see, the serum is introduced in through the replica's nutritional pipes, this way it can be absorbed and processed naturally." Chancellor Opper noted the tanks next to Koon's, unlike his, it had no name. "Why do some tanks have names and others don't?" he asked. Master Skywalker then answered for it was his duty to find the names of all the clones. "I can answer that. You see Chancellor when we first discovered the clones. We had recovered a list of most of their names, and a data- file that matched up with each name, unfortunately the clones' stasis tubes had been registered in the long dead language of Kaminoan. I have spent a great deal of time since, trying to decipher the writing but it is coming slowly. Only a few tanks have been identified through historical review so far, but I' am confident we will have every clone named before they are ready to hatch." Yoda concluded. This satisfied the Gran's inquiry. "Well I hope you do, otherwise it would be very difficult to return them to their surviving relatives." "May we see more of the clones?" asked a very energetic Kwar. "By all means, Chancellor's?" Kunda continued walking down the stretch of the ramp, as the political touring party followed that is except for Cole. Jillill managed to sneak behind the group unnoticed then slipped into a space between two large storage pillars. Not meant to fit a human's body through the space, since the pillars were constructed on rotating axis's, the fragile looking Cole was able to pass between the small space offered by the structures close proximately. But this wasn't Jillill Cole, rather a very convincing copy, a Humanoctic-Robotic they are called. They have been created by many governments for the purpose of running covert scouting and espionage missions, even the republic used them. The Temple's security scans would have detected the droid were it not for the replicated internal organs used to mask the false Cole's true composition. The mechanical Jillill reviewed her mission objectives via her nuero- database, then initiating her tactical protocols. The android opened a large compartment located in her back underneath her formal dress attire where a spinal column would normally be, releasing three small disc shaped hover droids. The small flying plates had four metal tentacles each, and then latched themselves into the wall, now flat against the paneling the droids activated their cloaking devises, causing them to disappear into the steel they nursed to. The Cole droid, covered itself back into its garments, and slipped back through the tiny opening created by the massive pillars, and on to the steel ramp where it had originally found itself. The group hadn't traveled that far down the aisle, Cole calmly walked down rejoining her Chancellor's side as no one had noticed she was gone. Master Kunda and Skywalker were at a large console station. ". and this panel here!" the Cerean motioned to a small panel displaying power levels. Leaving an other wise less caring android clueless to what she had babbled on while Cole was gone. "They control the power distribution used to maintain individual life supports for each stasis tube, without power the tanks reserves can last up to three days."  
  
".after that time. The clones will then die." Above Coruscant air space, The Massive starship, Slave Nine remained cloaked, behind one of the planet's moons. Aboard the modified, former Imperial destroyer, bounty captain Tagro Fett and Sith soldier Jiles Oiket watched the Cole droid's surveillance feed from the Bridge's Holo-projector. ".Now let us move on to the observation deck where we can get a better look of the storage room. If you will follow me this way."the image of the large brained Kunda began to walk in place, how did you manage to replace an android with the Senator's aide?" Jiles remarked with envy of not believing he could ever accomplish such a feat. "My crew has had Mrs. Cole in our stasis hold for about three months now. Ever since we made that assassination on the Viceroy of Dantooine, I decided it might be best to see how long we could leave the Cole droid in active duty." Fett kept a stern smirk across his otherwise dull grimaced face "I have been quite proud of the fact that she has lasted this long undetected." The Captain turned to a member of his crew, located at the console responsible for monitoring and controlling Jillill and the disc probes. "Crewmen are the probes still cloaked?" "Yes sir." The fair haired crewmen looked down to his console. "The cloak is activated and fully operational." "Good!" Jiles commented. "At this rate our plan will be well underway." "You had best hope so Mr. Sith because if my ship becomes exposed to the Republic, they will not be the only ones you and your friends of the dark side have to worry about." Jiles was caught off guard by Tagro's statement, he was the one who warned others of his wrath, not the one who received it. There was something about Fett that rose caution even in the heart of Jiles. He didn't bother to return Tagro's promise. Jiles just continued to watch the projection before him, analyzing every detail that would benefit the task before him, relishing in the terror that would fall on the Jedi.  
  
The High Chancellor's transport speeded through the coruscant skyline, passed massive buildings and huge skyscrapers all of such elegant architecture, that Dorshe' couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the planet's commitment to the beauty of their artificial world. Back on Orveaous, things were quite the opposite. Dorshe's homeworld is a planet of peace, balancing the line between a natural Oasis and a technological spearhead for some of today's greatest inventions. It was also where she met Pacres, the two were assigned as Jedi watchmen for the Orveasian sector of space. They unlike their other fellow watchmen were the only two beings native to the massive planetary system. Dorshe' had first crossed paths with the handsome young Pacres, on one of the fourth planet's twin moons, investigating refugee camps for containing illegal narcotics. The pair realized early on they made a good team, and decided peruse a longer lasting venture beyond their duties as watchmen, and later that year the two were wed. it was a wonderful service, that of a traditional Jedi wedding, preformed by Master Skywalker on a hillside overlooking the great Iallom sea. All their friends and family were there, it was a happy time only surpassed by the love that Pacres shared for Dorshe' and that feeling was mutual. That was sixteen years ago, the couple had spent most of that time together fortunately, compared to most Jedi families, but surprisingly in all that time. Dorshe' and Pacres couldn't produce a larger family of their own. That is until now, after Pacres's passing. At first Dorshe' thought of the unborn child as a reminder of the lover she had lost, all the times they would share together growing old raising their son, and all the other children they would produce to inherit the Jedi blood, gone. But that misconception soon diminished from the silver eyed woman's thoughts. She knew that some how the force had planned this child to come into the universe, and she even knew that her late husband would help guide their son in the ways of the Jedi through the Force. He was the most important thing to her now, he would grow in her body an instrument of the Force, become one with it himself then become a great Jedi, one who by all a mother's rights would have the universe for his taking. He will also be there on the battle field, fighting for our freedom against oppression, against evil, against the Sith. This brought a tear to run down Dorshe's bronze face, how could she bear to give birth to a single child only for the possibility it would die, fighting a blood feud that has raged on since the beginning of time itself. How could she stand to loose to two people that embodied her world as she knew it? Majel noticed her friend's distant sight of pain from the Chair next to Master Oden. "Dorshe'?" she spoke calmly. "Is everything alright?" The Jedi master, now aware of the saltwater seeping from her eyes, politely wiped it away with her hand, and then looked to Majel, giving the Chancellor the honest truth. "It's just that. with all that's happened, and with Pacres gone. I don't know how I'm going to manage to protect my child from the horrors of the galaxy he will be raised into." Dorshe' looked Majel in the eyes. They had become such good friends through their years working together on the Senate, and that had grown even more since she and Pacres saved her daughter Suezan's life. Majel had come to her for guidance relying on Dorshe's insights through force to help her make difficult decisions in the past. Now it was her turn to ask for help. "I'm afraid, that he will only be born into a world, just to die. I and many other Jedi sense this fight against their evil will not be solved all at once." Her tone hardened, at the sound of the truth. "This conflict with the Sith will lead to war a war he will have to someday fight." She bowed her head to collect her emotions. "I lost Pacres, I can't imagine the pain I would feel if I were to loose him too." Majel lent a sympathetic hand to the Jedi's shoulder. "No one could Dorshe', but how have you dealt with overcoming obstacles in the past?" Dorshe' knew the answer as she gave a smile to Majel. "I'll tell you, you had faith in the Force. 'Look to it when you are lost.' That's what you used to tell me, and even though I never had Jedi powers, I had hope that despite what wrongs I might have created, or the fears that dwell in my heart, or the evils that do exist in the galaxy. All will turn out for good in the end." Dorshe' could feel the Force comforting her soul through the Forewoman's words. "I know for a fact that with a mother like his, your son will grow to become a great Jedi who could very well take down an entire Sith army on his own and in the end, he will prevail. With not so much as a sweat on his brow." She ended knowing that she was nowhere near exaggeration. "Thank you Majel." "No Dorshe' thank you! without your example I don't believe I could ever have come to know what a power the Force truly is, or what a true example its people set for peace in the Universe." They shared a moment of reflection, and master Oden could only think of one thing to help repay Majel for her wisdom. "You are a child of the Force's guidance, now let me share its voice with you." Master Oden took two fingers and gently placed them on the temple of Majel's head. "Close your eyes." the High Chancellor complied, then felt a great river of emotion, experience, of thought, prosperity, and peace flow through her mind. It was overwhelming, and it was real. This is the Force. The familiar voice of Dorshe' entered Antilles's thoughts. It is the essence that binds all living things. It watches us, tells us what to do, it lives in us so we know that it will always be with us. Jedi or non-Jedi, the Force is in all of us. Never forget this moment, for it is now that you are all, and all are you Majel Antilles. Welcome to eternity. Majel basked in the Forces radiance, she could feel the good of the light, and knew of the Force's dark side, and the balance that must be maintained to keep order in the universe. Then she heard the voice of her robotic transport pilot enter her ears. "Chancellor Antilles, we have arrived at Master Oden's residence." The Chancellor somewhat overdosed with the adventure she just returned from in the comfort of her seat. Asked the droid to open the door so Dorshe' may exit. As she got up in the transport's compartment, Dorshe' turned to Majel before she left the craft. "May the Force be with, Majel Antilles." She smiled. "And may the Force be with you as well, Dorshe' Oden." She returned the gesture with another smirk. Dorshe' walked out the hatch and onto the adjoining balcony the transport landed onto. As soon as the hatch had closed, Antilles ordered to the pilot head for her penthouse. Dorshe' walked through one of New Ossus's lively promenades as she headed to her home. She couldn't help but note all the plant life that stood in the center of the large street. So lush, they reminded her of Orveaous, a world much larger than Coruscant, in size and population. Dorshe' could see the children at play, laughing, they were students at the temple like most of New Ossus's children. She could feel their joy, their innocence, and their strong bonds to the Force. They know of the danger that lies afoot, but yet they choose to play, to grow in peace with the Force through times of happiness, not fear. The Jedi of the past, taught their students to become unattached to their emotions, so that they may embrace true enlightenment into the Force, this is true. Attachment can detract one from the Force, but if you have faith in the Force it will guide your emotions, lead you to the ones you love, and protect you from the Dark side. It is when you act on emotions without the Force that one falls to the powers of the Dark side, .a fate worse than death. Dorshe' recalled Pacres once telling her of the pearls of the Dark side, in one of their many loving debates. The Dark side is born of fear, He said, and that fear leads to anger, and anger causes suffering, and suffering brings pain. Joy, bliss, love, can be temptations of every beings nature, we all seek acceptance and we are granted acceptance by the Force into its holy unity. He always made this part clear, we must protect our emotions from our wishes and give them over to the Force it will never fail us in the end. She knew he was right, he was the only man who could say every thing she felt, and never be wrong, that's why she loved him. They were meant for each other and for what ever reason the Force deemed Pacres was meant to die, for the overall scheme that is for the universe, but even though she had doubts the Force was telling her that her son would never die in battle. She could see him in her mind now, he would help the Jedi become greater than they are today, and he would marry, have children, and become a Master in the Force then grow old, with his loving wife. A wife? Dorshe's mind was in a joyous disbelief. Grandchildren! Her heart melted at her vision of all her son's future offspring. Her overly pleasant premonition was abruptly ended by a tugging sensation from her robe. "Master Oden?..." Dorshe' looked down to find a small redheaded girl dressed in the garbs of a Jedi student. It was one of her young clan students, Hiares Solomon . ".are you all right Master? You've been standing there for a while and we got worried something was wrong." She noted there were two other students behind Hiares, a young green skinned Twi' lek boy, Femmos Bielos, and another human girl of a bronze complexion, Britt Zan. None of her students could have been more than five or seven years old, but Dorshe' was very pleased to see her learners concern. "I'm fine Hiares, I was just listening to the Force," She bent down on a knee to look the girl in the eye. "nothing to cause alarm." "Okay." the child looked to the corner of eye as she brought a question to the Masters attention. ".Master Oden, are you going to leave us?" This shockingly caught Dorshe's attention she focused her silver eyes to her student. "What ever do you mean child?" Femmos answered the question directed at Hiares. "We heard you had left the council, and we thought that meant you were going to stop teaching our clan." "Please don't leave us Master Oden I'll do better in the exercises, promise!" a desperate Britt expelled as she wrapped her arms around Dorshe's neck. The teacher could feel a tear begin to build in her eye again as she eased the children's heart touching fears. "Oh, Children I'm not leaving you." she gathered the other children in her arms. ".Listen my students, I'm just taking time off from the council, and I have to return to my home for a while, but after that I will come back to teach you at the Temple, Okay?" "Okay!" the Children sighed in unison. "But Master Oden." Britt wiped tears from her face. "Why are you going away?" "I'm going to have a child, and I would like to give birth to that child on my homeworld." She patted her hand on the young Britt's blonde hair. "But don't any of you worry about me, as soon as my child is born I will I will return to Coruscant and continue your training, until then you will just have to listen to Master Chevacca as he will be my replacement for that period. Now go back and play I will see you tomorrow in the Temple." The students gave Dorshe' one last great hug and ran off to continue being children. That's the moment she knew, more than ever that she wanted to be a mother to her son. A smile, no other could surpass, grew on Dorshe's face as she skipped to her humble abode, so she could begin to pack for home, and even Coruscant despite its artificial life, seemed to be a little more vibrant from that day on.  
  
* * *  
  
I wonder? Yoda pondered to his work rotten mind. Could my ancestor be in there? "Highly doubtful!" a soft voice exclaimed from the doorway to Skywalker's personal study. He looked to the source of the voice, knowing it could only belong to the one woman who could enter his mind with surprise. Angel, his dear devoted wife, a tall Jedi master herself with blonde hair that was brighter than Yoda's own, and the bearer of the green eyes he cherished since their first encounter. "Your greatest of greatest grandfathers, was responsible for the Jedi purge. It is very unlikely that Quinlan Vos would have given the Kaminoans a sample of his genes just so he could be born again." Knowing his spouse made a logical notion, he still decided to argue that thought. "Yes, but there is always the possibility that Vos didn't know that Darth Vader was in fact, Anakin Skywalker, he could have very well found a sample of Anakin's blood for replication." Angel pulled herself a seat closer to her husband's work desk. "Yoda." she grabbed the back of her husband's head, playfully yanking at her lover's hair. ".you know that in all likelihood, Anakin probably isn't in there, even though the lists you obtained is missing over a hundred names, there is a small chance he is one of them." "I know Angel, but when I'm down there among those clones, I can't help but feel this small sense of familiarity." his eyes widened. "Like a distant relative I have never met, but I'm more than willing to meet, I just can't uncover where he is in that room." Angel looked closer into her husband's eyes, knowing there was something else on his mind. "But its not just one of them, I feel two presences that reach out to me." Angel kissed Yoda's lips attentively. "I know you feel sorry for what Anakin became, but that was over two thousand years ago. In a time you had no control over. You have no reason to subject yourself to the guilt of someone else's actions just because you share his name." Yoda bowed his head to the woman's remarkable insight, the Force flowed through her with greater prowess that he admittedly succumbed to. "You are a very bright woman, you know that don't you?" he smiled gracefully. "Yes, I know!" she basked. "Now only if my husband would learn to follow in my example." She remarked with the greatest of sarcasm any Jedi could muster, as her husband bowed his head once more, in a defeat of amusement. Yoda then returned his attention to Angel. Yoda realized that he could not sense the presence of his children in the Skywalker home apartment. "Where are Anna and Davis?" "Davis is on an investigation with Master Grew, and Anna is outside playing with her friends." Only in the Skywalker household could you find a family that spends more of their time together at the Jedi Temple, running scans or investigating terrorist activities, than at the homestead sharing a meal. This unlike most fathers, reassured Yoda, that the Skywalkers were out doing good for the universe. "Well that means we have the whole house to ourselves." A devious smile appeared on Yoda's face. "Do you know what that means?" "That means you still have work to finish before you can have any fun yourself! Master Skywalker." The smile fell from his face, Angel had a knack for getting things set in there place, and she had to she lives in a house with three Skywalkers. "Those clones will have to choose their own names if you don't get back to work." "Your right." He subdued himself to his mate's superior dedication to 'playtime after the job is done.' This would only make his task twice as difficult as Yoda pondered. Am I the right Skywalker that should be head of the High Council? 


	12. CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12  
  
Chevacca was in his work study at the Temple trying to lighten the burden of identifying the Old Republic clones in assistance to Master Skywalker, when C-3PO, hailed the Wookiee's office. Chevacca had only spent half the day researching and he had already discovered many cloned historical figures that the Jedi held in stasis. Such remarkable individuals, the clawed being thought, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Shaak Ti and so many more.unfortunately there still were many more to identify. Then the high, well pronounced voice of the protocol droid beamed over the office's intercom. "Master Chevacca you have a transmission from the Arcus penitentiary Chief Warden Nell, he says he has a prisoner who is apparently willing to divulge information to Jedi graces." The great beast Jedi, groaned his words, not bothering to let the translator of his comm. system process his words for a droid meant to act as a translator itself. "Thank you 3-PO, please patch the Warden through to my study." Just as soon as he requested it, the image of a stocky, stern figured man appeared in open space beside Chevacca's desk. "Good day to you Master Chevacca." The Warden said in a calm, professional manner. "Good day to you Warden. It is my understanding that you have a prisoner who wishes to contact a Jedi in order to share some information. " he waited a moment as the warren awaited his translated feed. "In a nutshell Master Jedi." His face looked at a touch panel in his right hand. "About three days ago the prisoner Platog was brought under arrest, after his ship the 'Lucky Bantha' was discovered severely damaged, on route to the Umgul system. The Lucky Bantha has been wanted in over forty systems for its suspected connections in many smuggling activities, and several contracted bounty hunts." The brunette furred man, raised a paw to his chin in a show of attention to the details set before him, but he saw no connection in Nell's words. "I see, and what connections do we of the Jedi have to this.Platog is it?" "According to Platog a few weeks ago, he and his employer had assembled a fleet of other smuggling vessels that were to spring an ambush on one of your Jedi cruisers. The mission failed and his ship got stranded until a Republic scout picked him up." The fleet at Kamino! Chevacca's mind knew what he could only explain as an act of the Force, if this Platog could inform the Jedi of his employer he might find a connection that could lead to the unraveling of the Sith offensive. "Chief Warden, did Platog divulge any more information?" "No Master Jedi, but he is interested in a person to person meeting to discuss the matter in further detail." "Thank you Warden Nell, I and my associate Master Skywalker will be down to the penitentiary soon, please tell this Platog that we will meet with him." The Wookie then tapped the comm. panel on his desk, to deactivate the transmission as he rotated his seat face forward. "3PO, could you please inform Master Skywalker to meet me on hanger deck alpha?" "As you wish Master Chevacca." And with that said, the Jedi master calmly rushed to his transport vessel, so as not to waste another moment getting to Arcus.  
  
Jiles walked straight to his private quarters aboard the Slave twelve, they were not to his best of preferences, but it served his purposes, all he really needed was a bed and a Holo-projector until his Sith destroyer made contact with the Slave twelve. As he made his way to the doorway, he used his dark side powers to simply force it open, and then again to shut it behind him as he awaited his Master's transmission. He bowed to one knee as the distractive image of Oiket's Master began to appear from the center of the floor. "How does your mission progress Master Oiket?" Her omnipotent voice filled the small room as the dark Lord addressed her disciple. "It goes well my Master." He raised his head, but kept his body bent down to the floor. "I and my new associates have infiltrated the Jedi temple using one of Fett's well placed androids to assist in the placement of several probes to locate your desired clones. But it will take time before we can uncover the one of your choosing my Master." He looked down once again, fearing his master's response. "The Jedi have yet to identify all the clones, and none of the replicas named so far are the one you requested, it will take time to find him." "Then you have best be haste before they do identify all of them." This befuddled the already unnerved Jiles. "If the Jedi discover which clone it is that we wish to obtain, they will be even more relenting in their pursuit for its return. Now go and seize him for the name of the dark side." "Yes my Master!" Jiles stood firm once more, then typed the transmission codes for the Sith destroyer into his holo-transmitter panel. A moment passed, and then the life-sized image of the Bretew arose from the floor where the master once did. "Bretew!" he exclaimed with a tone of blatant disregard "What is your current position in correlation to that of this vessel?" "We are currently twenty parsecs from your position heading at maximum speed." The holographic Nitko replied. "Good, we will need to prepare to go on the defensive should our mission become known to the Jedi. Do you have the full compliment of fighters and troopers on board?" "Yes Jiles, but I strongly disbelieve we could hold our own in Coruscantian space." Jiles knew this well fact was as the truth. "I understand, then see if you can amass a fleet large enough to meet that match, we must get this Clone for the Master, at any cost. Am I clear Bretew?" "Yes Jiles, crystal!" "Good, I'll expect the fleet to rendezvous at the Yag'Dhul system, should the Jedi discover our intentions, they we surely try to pursue us, in which case we will lead them to the fleet." "Very good, I will go now I have an army to raise." Bretew placed his claw over his heart. "For the Master!" and his image vanished. "Yes for the Master" Jiles remarked to a silent room as he returned to the Bridge of the Slave twelve.  
  
It was the afternoon and still Dorshe' was lost in sleep. This had been the first time in a long time she got the chance to oversleep; she was going to take it. Her bed was soft, by touch and by appeal the silk sheets engulfed her body in the midst of her restless slumber. She could have laid there all day, and well into the next it weren't for the light of Coruscant's high noon sun glaring through her closed eyelids, and try as she might to protect them she yielded to the inhabitable fact that she needed to get up and pack. As her eyes eased open Dorshe' placed her hand over the bed's empty space next to her. The same space once shared by Pacres, this realization insulted her being. Everyday since their wedding night, Dorshe' would wake up to the find the beautiful man that was her husband lying next her, but he was gone now, and ever since his death she would still wake up, desiring to look into those steel violet eyes only to find nothing. At first, all she could do was cry, but Dorshe' began to open up her pain to the Force, letting it heal her suffering and that was when she discovered that she was pregnant. At the time it was a bitter-sweat gift the Force had granted her, Dorshe' had come to accept their son's conception as a divine right. At the time, she wished to tell no one of her condition, feeling it would raise concern for her and her unborn, in the field. Dorshe' wanted to help with the investigation of the incident that took her lover away from her. She can still replay that day in her mind, the day Pacres left for the mission from which he would never return.  
  
It was raining, they were in the bedroom, Dorshe' preparing her reports for the Council at her small desk in the corner, and Pacres readying himself before he left Coruscant. "Dorshe'?" he asked her in his sweet voice, now only produced through the vivid limits of her own memory. "Dorshe' have you seen my sabre?" he approached her from behind, having a good idea, that she in fact knew the location of his weapon. "Maybe?" she playfully remarked. "Dorshe' you know very well I can't leave without my lightsabre." "I know!" she turned to look at him, his purple eyes diving into her silver orbs. "I don't want you to go on this mission I sense no good from it." "If I don't go, someone else will." He rested his knees to the floor space next to Dorshe's chair. "This isn't a small trade dispute the Jedi are being called into settle this time. If the rumors are true the Sith may return, and only the Force knows what they have been up to while they made home in the unknown-territory. We can't afford to send a Jedi taskforce in there without knowing what to find. That's why I agree with the Council's decision to send someone to scout ahead first, that's also why I volunteered for the mission." His words comforted her, but she couldn't suppress the feelings she received from the Force, not even for him. "Fine..." she murmured as she reached in her desk to pull out the small cylindrical piece of steel that was Pacres's lightsabre. "Here." she placed the sabre in his hand not letting go of her grip from the hilt as she then pulled her lover's lips to meet her own. She showed him, what her words could not express for his safety. She broke the physical union, "You had better return to me, Master Oden. I will not break my promise to my mother by not giving her those grandchildren she demanded," a playful smile returned to her bronze face once more," all six of them." He looked her in the eye. "And she will have all of them, and more." He then rose as he leaned in for one more precious kiss, one she would never forget. For it would be their last. They parted their mouths, "Now I must go I have a mission to fulfill!" and he walked out of the room carrying a small case with him as he headed for his transport.  
  
That was the last time Dorshe' ever saw Pacres alive, but she knew their love would live on, through the Force where no bonds are broken by mere planes of life and the life after. It would also be shared by their son, he is the product of that love, and surly he will live as long as it. The sunlight grew brighter, reflected by a mirror on the far wall, Dorshe' sat up in her bed so as to demand her body to wake-up. Her long untied hair draped loose, covering her with thick strands of dark brown thread. The dazed Dorshe' in a have comatose stupor, tossed her hair behind her shoulder with sharp swipe commonly saved for swiping away tiny insects. She then peered her head over to the large transparent steel door of her balcony. The gorgeous view of the New Ossus district was mesmerizing enough to widen Master Oden's eyes. The sky was clear, excluding some transport traffic and a few Coruscantian skyscrapers. Unlike the rest of Coruscant, the Jedi try to maintain a rather small number of tall buildings in New Ossus, in order to display the Temple from a greater distance. This also gave a much grander show of the city's landscape, which Dorshe' and many others, agree allows people to see and enjoy more of the beautiful architecture. She lifted the sheets from her legs, and flipped her body around until her feet touched the cushy carpet and slowly stood up. Stretching every muscle she could muster strength from, Dorshe' was elevated only by the edge of her tip-toes, as her flowing two piece sleeping garment brushed against her tense skin. She had found her bags last night; they were underneath the bed, where they had been ever since she first moved into the apartment with Pacres. The Oden apartment was a modest abode, it had a considerable number of rooms all conformed in the same soft earth-tone colors of sand beige, browns, and humble highlights of silver. It was nothing compared to her family home on Orveaous. It was a monolith of a sanctuary compared to most homes of the large green planet it had immense open archways that oversaw a great water shore of the peninsula it was built upon. With huge green intertwining plant life encompassing the mainland, clear multi-colored skies caused by the atmospheres reaction to Orveaous's dual crossing rings. She couldn't wait to go there and one could tell through her energetic packing methods, but the Jedi might very well train their masters to simply toss random shards of clothing into their luggage. As soon as she had finished that she made her way to the fresher, to take a long shower before she would dress and make her way to home, Orveaous the perfect place to birth a child.  
  
Platog was enjoying one of the many Arcus penitentiary lunch meals when a guard, escorted two men in brown cloaks to his holding cell. The dug didn't even notice the three figures as they stopped in front of his door, he was to busy inhaling all the food they gave him, a gran delicacies pf all things. His drunken fest of food was broken by the guard's low resonating voice. "Platog, you have visitors, the Jedi you requested an audience with are here." The dug, turned his elongated neck over to the door behind him, food slipping from his loose leathery lips he then roared. "Send them in." as he continued to eat, the two Jedi calmly walked into the white room as the door sealed again after them. Master Skywalker spoke, knowing Chevacca's mental communication skills might react badly over the crude Platog. "You requested us Mr. Platog, what is it you wish of us?" He smirked with a mouth full, "he-he, I never thought you would actually show." He shoved another mouthful into his face. "Well when a man admits to taking up actions against one of our own vessels, especially one I and my associate here, were aboard at the time." Realization hit Platog like a steel wall. "You can imagine why we would take interest in the information that person would have to offer." "That was you on the Everlasting?" he was now stone-faced in disbelief of what he just heard, but it arose a question that had been eating at him ever since the 'Lucky Bantha' was ambushed. "Tell me this Jedi" he created an expression of determination, to the robed men. "How did you manage to assemble a Republic Fleet without my ships knowing it?" Skywalker answered in a neutral tone, to keep his impatience hidden. "That is not important right now. Let's just say we had assistance from a greater power." And with that said, Platog simply chuckled. "He-He-he!" He waved his fork at Skywalker and Chevacca. "you Jedi are tricky ones, just like those Sith!" "Sith?" Chevacca groaned, not knowing his words were entering Platog's small mind. This alerted the dug. "Who said that?" "No one," Yoda returned the grizzly being to his last train of though before the interruption curious to how a smuggler would know of any Sith in that context "What do you mean by Sith? What connection do you have to them?" "They were the ones that hired me and my boss to ambush you in that system, they said we would be paid well but as you can see I have yet to receive a cent." He remarked with a smug sly tonality in his throat. "Can you tell us where to find them? How you contacted them?" Chevacca rolled his eyes sensing the dug's motivation while Yoda questioned unsuccessfully. "Can you tell us anything about the Sith?" he expelled. "Not without a price?" this caused Chevacca to step in. "You will tell us anything we desire!" he said as he waved his paw past Platog's face. "I will tell you anything you wish to know!" Yoda placed his head in his hand with the other underneath his elbow. Why didn't I think to do that? He questioned himself now as Chevacca continued his interrogation. "Who hired you to destroy the Everlasting?" He responded in the monotone voice of a weak-willed person under the influence of the Force. "A man named Jiles Oiket, he didn't say he was a Sith, but he carried a lightsabre, he also used the same black magic my momo told stories about." Chevacca waved his hand once more, looking Platog even deader in his face. "How did you come in contact with him?" "He found my boss, Mortep and me on an old smuggler's star-station. He offered us a pay we couldn't refuse to kill you guys." "How did you maintain communications with Oiket?" Skywalker added. "He hailed my ship when ever he needed to talk business with my boss." Chevacca coked his head slightly, sending his braided fur into a bit of a tussle. "Did you ever hail him? Do you know his transmission codes?" "No, He always hailed us, never gave us a code to call back with." Platog recalled the time the Dark figure cut-off Jiles's last communication before the mission. "but there was one time, some other person contacted us, right before the Republic destroyed my ship." "Who? Who was it?" Yoda urged. "I don't know who he or she was, all you humans look alike to me, and even if I did know I couldn't tell you. The person wore a big black robe over it's face and body. All I know is that it threatened my boss's life to make sure not to screw up the ambush." Skywalker looked to the Wookiee as their eyes met with affirmation. "A Dark master." Chevacca returned to his mind warped victim. "did you ever pin-point the location of the communications?" "Oh, I tried, but Oiket's signal never came from the same place twice, he must have been on a ship, but the being in the black cloak, I managed to find that signal came from the Unknown-territory, somewhere between the Grobog system and the Docu system." Skywalker nodded to Chevacca sensing that this was all the dug knew that would be of any use to themselves. "Thank you for your help Sir, we will depart now and leave you to your meal." Chevacca erected his body as Yoda began to head out, "Try the Gahk." And he then exited to the hallway where Master Skywalker awaited him as the cell hatch sealed behind Chevacca. "Well at least we have a general perimeter to work with in the Unknown-territory." They began their journey back to the landing port. "Yes this should serve to benefit our search, I shall contact Masters Amtlar and Jhellows they will most likely dispatch a small Task Force of our ships to the unknown-territory, now that we have a better idea of where to start." He concluded as they exited the Arcus cell-block check point, and continued towards the access port of the hanger-bay. "Good, I shall contact the Gorbog, Huz-em, Juffri, and Duco systems to inform them of our plans." Skywalker remarked as he stepped into Chevacca's F-183: sky-speeder, a sleek shimmering vehicle, created by the paws of the Jedi himself. "With Dorshe' on leave and Amtlar busy with the Fleet, it's now my job to undertake matters of government." The hanger chief-droid opened the bay doors as Chevacca signaled for permission exit. Once the doors offered a large enough space the Wookiee's speeder made a fast entry into the coruscant traffic ways. 


	13. CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13  
  
Master Oden had finally made her way down to the Temple hanger-bay, after packing most of her necessities into a small duffle, which seemed like hours to accomplish. She was ready to go home, Dorshe' had pulled some strings with Master Yoda allowing her to get a ride on one of the small Jedi-shuttles that were heading past the Orveaous system. So as not to trouble any of the republic transports agencies with arranging another travel plan during one of Coruscant's largest tourist seasons. The hanger spanned well over a mile distance's across the Temple's basin, and housed many of the Jedi's small craft, most of them belonging to masters and those who make frequent visits to the sanctuary. Dorshe' began to pace towards the Mon Calamari shuttle, 'Lorrax'. It was a small vessel, only one-fourth the size of the Everlasting, but it would suffice for the journey to Orveaous. As Master Oden came upon the access ramp to the Lorrax, she could sense a presence known to her. She waited there as a figure came out from the ship, it was Grem. "Well if it isn't Grem Venad." She said in a tone common of a parent with immense pride for a child. "I'm to understand that you will be escorting me home as you proceed to your first mission as a Knight." "Yes Master Oden." He responded in a tone of a still loyal Padawan. "I have been assigned a mission to Tatooine, but I was asked by Master Skywalker if I first escort you to your home-planet" "Well at least you're not going out to settle border disputes just yet!" she remarked. "Is the ship ready for departure?" "All she needs is her pilot and a passenger named Oden to hop aboard and get underway." She complied by following the Vurk up the access ramp as it sealed behind them. Grem then pointed to a small room adjacent to a dark corridor. "That's the lounge if you wish to relax and wait for us to reach your destination, Master Oden." "No Grem, I believe I would prefer to take this journey in good company with you in the cockpit." She made her point clear that she would have it no other way. "Very well, this way." The two legged reptilian led Dorshe to the tiny command cabin. "You can have the nav. chair." "Thank you Noble Venad." She reminded the young man of his achievement as she placed her duffle on the floor and they sat in their respective seats. Grem went strait to work at his console preparing the Lorrax for its departure. His head turned and his eyes swept all the surrounding panels that blinked, each having been activated after the other panels were interfaced. Dorshe' was impressed by the blue one's swift motions during the pre-launch sequence a true display of his reliance an the Force. She felt compelled to ask Grem he would like any assistance but before she could open her mouth the Lorrax was already hovering above the hanger deck. Grem put in a call to the hanger control droid. "This is the shuttle, Lorrax, requesting permission to leave the temple." The voice of a cold mechanical robot replied via the comm. system. "Shuttle Lorrax you have permission to get underway." The bay doors then began to separate horizontally, Grem waited for the doors to clear then guided the ship through the opening. The Lorrax, once in free airspace, began to point to the heavens, and with a great thrust of the engines the vessel was propelled in that direction. Dorshe' looked out the view ports in front and beside her, as the Coruscant landscape gradually became more and more distant. The endless lines of air traffic seemed as if they went on to the other side of the planet itself, a great line of tiny insects that never ceased. Eventually the grand skyscrapers seemed like needles, poking through the clouds. Dorshe made sure to keep her eyes on the Temple before the Lorrax completely entered the stratosphere, not just because it was the only structure noticeable from such a distance, but it would be the last time she would see it in all its glory for a long time. Her face remained attached to that view port well after any geographic details could be made out from Coruscant's surface. Grem piloted the ship around the busy traffic that occupied the City-planet's orbit before looking over to find the daydreaming Dorshe'. "Master Oden, are you all right?" he queried in a voice like that used for addressing coma victims. "Hu-Oh yes Grem I'm fine just a little lost in my own thoughts that's all." "Oh, okay." He returned to his console setting the ship on auto pilot, since the coruscantian government doesn't allow vessels to enter or exit hyperspace until it reaches five marsecs past its own moon. Grem would take this time on repulse to relax before jumping beyond the light speed barrier. "I've programmed the computer on a heading for Orveaous, once we're past the moons regulated jump zone, the hyperdrive engines will activate, in the mean time is there anything you like to eat, drink maybe?" "Perhaps I should have something." She took a moment to ponder what it was her body desired for nourishment. "I will have some Nabuian green tea." "As you wish." He rotated his chair to a small syntho in the wall, Gren then typed in the codes for a Nabuian tea as he pulled out a small cup from a compartment just below the opening. he held the cup underneath the liquid syntho's spout as the tea began to poor into the mug. "Here you go Master Oden." "Thank you." She took a slip as the Vurk replicated a drink for himself. "I was unaware of your condition until after my initiation, congratulations on your baring child Master Oden." She blushed slightly at the unexpected comment. "Thank you once again Grem." "On my planet, women are treated sacredly for their ability to carry and bring life into the universe, it is in my blood to be worthy of escorting you to your home for such a miracle". He returned his chair to the command console keeping his attention between the Jedi master and the pilot's console. "You are to kind, but don't disrespect your sex, you play a part in the child's coming to life too." She encouraged. "We merely supply the raw essence of the being, you are the ones who grant birth." He made his point clear, as a show of pride for his people's belief. Dorshe' saw no use in arguing over different view points. "So Grem, what business do you have on Tatooine." He finished his first sip before answering. "Missing person, the authorities on Mos Espa believe it to be a kidnapping, but they have been searching for several days now and have had no leads, so Master Skywalker assigned me to go investigate." This made Dorshe's attention grow with curiosity. "Why didn't the Mos Espa government try to reach their planet's watchmen?" "They did try, but apparently all their forces are busy dealing with a conflict between the Hutts and the Tuskins. Master Skywalker said that it would take to much time to pull any of their people away from that conflict, and he decided to send me in to deal with the disappearance." Dorshe' began to speculate, wondering if this could be the work of the Sith. "Grem." she waited until she had his full and complete focus. Dorshe' then went on to tell Grem of her theory that she assembled with Master Chevacca and Yoda's help. She told him about all the disappearances over the past two decades, all the Jedi hopefuls that never made it to the temple, all the other individuals that disappeared as well during that time. She even shared the story of Master Bretew, and his part in the battle on Kamino. All the while Venad assessed the information in his mind, realizing every connection to the recent events, and the even seeing them in the Old Sun Prophecy Master Romdel told him of. He then pulled out a small touch panel that contained all the information pertaining to his mission, he was hoping the situation didn't fit the characteristics of the ones told by Master Oden, but to his disappointment they were. An infant child, from a family with means have no connection that would benefit the Republic, and the possibility of being Force sensitive could be existent as well. "This is very disturbing, what should I do. If it is true and the Sith have kidnapped this child what good can I do to get her back?" he began to question his abilities, something Dorshe' would never except even if Grem was a knight now. "At the very least you still can investigate as to how the child was taken." She then felt this rush run through her heart, it was the Force trying to tell Oden what she said, and she thought of Pacres, and the mission he never returned from, as if he was warning her by the Force, not to let Grem go on this mission alone. "Grem I'm going with you to Tatooine, please don't take this as a judgment of your abilities, but I strongly believe if you go to Mos Espa alone, you might not come back." Venad was not hurt by this, infact he was pleased that he would have such an accomplished Jedi as Master Oden to assist him. "I will let you have complete control over the conduct of this investigation; all I ask is that I be with you so you will have the benefit of our combined connection to the Force." He nodded in compliance having heard what happened to Dorshe's husband from Saliv just prior to the mission that led to Kamino. Then after placing his cup in an equal sized holder, Grem started reprogramming the navigational computer to set course for Tatooine. The Lorrax had since passed the jump marker. "We have past the moon, ready to jump to Tatooine in five.four.three.two.and." Grem pushed the hyperdrive ignition panel, and the Lorrax disappeared in to the stars. Not knowing what dangers the Dark side has in store for the Jedi.  
  
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Jiles was angered by the growing fleet of Jedi-Battleships that assembled in a battle ready formation over Coruscant's orbit. While the Slave twelve was cloaked, and hidden by the ion wakes created by the endless expanse of starships entering and exiting the system. This would make it extremely difficult for Capt. Fett to obtain the clone, but this was what he lived for. Whether or not Jiles was sure Tagro enjoyed the rush from the tension of the moment, Oiket knew he wouldn't fail, he hoped. The Slave twelve's bridge was on code six; silent running, as the ship slowly made its way into a sensor shadow left un-maintained by the probe-stations surrounding coruscantian space, so as to not tip off the Jedi to the shuttle launching. This shuttle would be operated by Fett, and five members of his elite foot- soldiers along with Jiles himself. The tiny craft would make its way down to one of Fett's many off world safe houses posing as an ambassador's transport, once there the evil task force would rendezvous with the Cole android and .well, Fett did not properly inform Jiles of what happens next, but Tagro reassured him that he would be needed. Sufficed to say, Jiles was still a little on edge, even with that said. "Are you prepared to leave Jiles?" the stern voice of Fett, came from behind. Oiket then about faced only to find Tagro incased in a gleaming cast of formfitting armor. The metallic portions covered most of his body, leaving space for every joint, so not to hinder his mobility. The under suit that lie underneath the second was a royal purple, giving Fett a status of importance with the impression of warrior and the helmet held under his left arm. He now had a mantel that displayed his true clod, soulless nature, that of beast. "The shuttle is awaiting us." He cocked an eyebrow as he dawned the cape in his right arm around his neck. "I have always been ready." He implied in more ways than one to the pirate Capt. "Good, follow me." The pair walked into the nearest lift, Fett then tapped the control panel to command the lift to the hanger, after which the hatch sealed and the elevation craft descended downwards while Tagro slid his head piece on. He turned his head toward Jiles to test his verbal amplifier, and visual modulator. "Can you hear me?" Jiles not noticing Fett's new portrait until he just spoke, gave him a uncaring response. "Yes I can hear you." "Good, testing visual interface, thermal." and the helmet displayed a thermal scan to Fett ".Infared." now and infared scan. ".Anti-matter." the visuals fed to Tagro, were x-rays of the floors the lift had been passing, allowing him to see all that was going on behind the walls as he and Jiles gradually came to a full stop, ".Normal." and Fett retained all that his simple eyes had to offer as the hatch began to open. The Captain led the Sith lord down a wide ramp that stretched the whole length of the hanger below, passing numerous fighters dangling from their docking holsters. When they reached the end the duo was greeted by five soldiers at alert positions lined in order from side to side. They brandished armor similar to that of Fett's but no where near as intricate, Silver and blue each with cloaks of their own to cover their uniformed steel. Tagro Fett stood looking over to them one last time before they would launch. "Men! You know your orders, you know your duties, and you know what will happen if you fail. Any questions?" They responded in unison. "Sir, No Sir." Fett then rose out his solid fist to the men as a salute. They returned it respectfully. "Now board the shuttle, Jiles." he turned once again to Oiket at his side. ".you and I will pilot the ship, lets go." Jiles gave a mocking salute followed by a cocky. "Yes Sir!" even though he wore the helmet, Jiles could tell Tagro was not amused. "Get on the shuttle." Fett walked into the ship's hatch and Jiles followed despite his bruised humor. The cabin was some-what small compared to the overall size of the ship itself, this was due to the vessel's reinforced hull. Jiles sat in the seat next to Fett's command chair as he hailed the bridge telling them to open the bay doors, then gave the order to the shuttle crew for liftoff. The shuttle flew past the hanging fighters and out in the open space, with the Slave twelve's cloak still operating it would seem as if the vessel came from nowhere, like most of the ships in this dense system, when the shuttle exited the sensor shadow it was soon hailed by Coruscant traffic control. They answered the voice of a deep, none human variation. "This is Coruscant space traffic control. Please identify your ship and its purpose in this system?" Fett responded, masking his voice to that of a simpleton. "Umm-yes, this is the transport 'Exodus', we are-um currently ferrying Ambassador Muyt, to meet with his senate representative." The controller took a moment over the comm. link, to clarify Fett's hoax, Jiles just sat there, hoping the Cole droid did its work to create the false scheduling documents. "Alright Exodus, you are approved, welcome to Coruscant." Fett returned with the innocent voice. "T-thank you." then deactivated the transmission as he began to aim the vessel down to the planet's surface. The shuttle quickly passed through the atmosphere dodging the massive structures and traffic that littered Coruscant's surface. Neither Fett nor his crew said a word as the trip continued, it only took half an hour for the small transport to reach the Lople district that was adjacent to New Ossus and the closest district to the Jedi temple. The shuttle landed in the hanger of what seemed to be an old industrial warehouse, but in fact was actually one of Tagro's well kept safe-holds. The garage hatch closed as the ship made a smooth set- down on the steel floor beneath, it's landing clamps released. Jiles was impressed by the display of the large room, there was no hanger just the interior of a very big warehouse that spanned well beyond a single perspectives limit, bare but for a few stacked crates and containers in the far corner. As the shuttle's engines disengaged the starboard ramp began to open. Welcomed by the sight of the android Jillill Cole Fett stepped out first along with Jiles as the other soldiers followed in a wave of black robes. Fett turned to his spy. "Good work Cole, have you made the preparations?" She responded obediently, "Yes my master, by your order the mission will be able to proceed at your most opportune moment." "Good then." he turned to his soldiers of fortune. ".get out the supplies, I want us ready to initiate the mission by night fall. Clear!" "Sir, yes sir!" They replied as one. He then waved his crew away to begin their individual tasks. "Jiles, I have your mission briefing here." Fett pulled out a touchpad from his cloak. "Read over them!" he demanded in a tone befitting a dictator. Jiles snatched the panel from Tagro, in slight disgust. He read over the text and was not happy to by what he saw. "I see." He mused so as to raise his concern gradually. ".what of the Jedi, do you believe they will notice?" Fett turned to Oiket, glaring at him with the cold steel mantel of his helmet. "Not if you stick to the plan. All you need to worry about is your tasks." The plan was risky, even Jiles didn't know if he could pull it off that was when he heard her voice. Jiles, it echoed in his mind. Follow Fett's instructions. He responded out loud not caring that Fett couldn't hear what he could. "But Master, this is suicide he wants me to be a-Gah-k!" the horrible pain she inflicted in his dark heart returned to silence his cowardice. What did I say about questioning my orders? "I'm sorry Master." He began to quench in pain as a confused Tagro looked on at Jiles, writhing in pain from an unseen grip. Time is wasting now go and don't question Fett's orders. The river of torment ended. And remember Oiket, you have the Dark side. "Yes my Master." He cradled his sore skull as her voice disappeared. He then looked into the visor of Fett's eyes. "I will need some supplies." "Understood." Tagro then looked over to one of his subordinates. "Sfial, bring me one of the weapons crates." The well built soldier did such then placed the small container before Fett. Fett then kicked the polymer box, forcing it open. "Here, I believe you will find all you will need." The dastardly grin that separated Jiles from any other man of the Dark side appeared on his face, Maybe this won't be so difficult!  
  
Master Amtlar sat in the Command chair of the Jedi dreadnought: 'Virtuous' the flagship of the Jedi fleet in orbit of Coruscant. The green, fish headed man was reviewing a few last minute reports before the fleet dispatched to the unknown-territory. The Bridge was cluttered with the calm sounds of the Jedi officers tirelessly working at their assigned duties. Baldos Amtlar was born to be a Jedi; he was also raised by his people's heritage to be a distinguished naval officer. Had he been born a thousand years ago, before the Jedi had been considered an equal government body to that of the rest of the universe. He would have had to choose between one or the other but When you become a Jedi you are a Jedi for life, and while he was a master of the Force, and could wield a lightsabre with the best of his peers, he was meant for commanding a ship. His tactical expertise and close bond with the Force made him a formidable strategist, an even more powerful Commander, and with the most advanced ships in the fleet at his disposal, including the Virtuous. In his mind the Sith wouldn't stand a chance. Amtlar waited for Master Skywalker's hail so Amtlar may get underway, while he quietly closed his large flat eyes in a deep state of meditation. He could feel the river of the Force bath him in it's power, he could see what was, what is, and what could be. he could touch the possibilities of the future, all but one that was shrouded in darkness. He tried to reach out to it so he might pull it apart and read the premonition. Baldos was there, his mind reached into the void of a stream, and that was when Skywalker finally hailed the Virtuous. "Master Amtlar." the Mon Calamari, opened his eyes to find the Holo- projection of his human cohort standing before him. "Baldos are you alright?" "Fine, just meditating.Yoda have you sensed anything from the Force recently?" The image of Skywalker gave a questioning look. "Why do you ask?" "There is something unseen to me, blocked almost, as if it were being hidden from us." "Could the Force be concealing the future from us, to prevent us from unraveling possible events?" "No, not the Force, something Darker than the Force." Master Amtlar stated in a tone so as to not alert his Bridge crew that might be overhearing his communication but Master Skywalker knew exactly what his scaly friend meant. "I understand, needless to say you have the order to dispatch the fleet, best see it so. I will look into your concern in the mean time." "Thank you Yoda, May the Force be with you!" "And also with you Baldos!" the Masters shared a bow, and then the Skywalker projection disappeared. "Noble Ser." He now addressed his communications officer. "Yes Master Amtlar!" The nabuian man turned to his superior with respect. "Open all audio channels to the fleet." Ser did so. "Comm. channels open Master." Amtlar stood up from his seat as if he were addressing a present audience with his arms folded behind his back. "This is Master Amtlar of the Jedi dreadnought 'Virtuous', to all ships of the Jedi fleet." He began to pace on his command platform, circling the steel blue -room surrounding him. "As we all are now aware, the Sith have returned. What their intentions are, we are yet to known but there is one thing we do know. That the Sith have no good intentions, they are disciples of evil, the Dark side of the Force. As Jedi it is our mandate that we protect the universe from all evil that exists. Therefore we must destroy the Sith, we must bring the light to the dark for we are the Jedi and we unlike the Sith, are of the true Force. Now let us get underway never forgetting that fact. Master Amtlar out." the knight cut the transmission as Baldos gave his next order to T'sa Jhellows at the conn. "Master Jhellows set course for the unknown-territory. "With pleasure Master Amtlar!" she responded with a wryly grin. "Course plotted awaiting your order to ignite the hyperdrive." Baldos returned to his command seat, clasping his claw like palms together in a content manner he then gave the order. "Engage!" and with that the Virtuous shot into the endless expanse of space beyond, quickly followed by the other twenty two ships that comprised the Jedi task force, honor bound to defend all that is good.  
  
  
  
Tatooine was flourishing with its green radiance, unlike the Tatooine of eight hundred years ago, it was no longer the desert waste land that it once was notorious for being. In fact it was a planet of lush plant life, from space it resembled a large green orb found on some alien jewelry. With tall trees and great valleys of green grass and flower beds that rivaled even those on Orveaous. Water was no longer deep with in its core, it now was pooled into large oceans and rivers the spanned through the planet in everlasting lines of water, it is said that Tatooine has more bridges than any other world in the outer- rim due to connecting thousands of expanses of water that seeped the planets cracks. All this was due to the leaps in terra-forming technology over the past eight hundred years. The binary suns that nearly scorched the planet's surface now gave life to lush, fertile vegetation. It was a most beautiful sight to see from space. The Lorrax finally dropped out from hyperspace only to be greeted be this aw-inspiring sight. Grem manned the Lorrax's flight controls as he guided the ship towards Tatooine's surface. Dorshe' walked into the cockpit to find Grem still at the controls, now dressed in her commoner garbs, she relieved the Vurk of his duty so he could change his wardrobe himself. "I'll take it from here Grem, you'd best change into an outfit that won't give you away as a Jedi." She remarked as she pulled the younger reptile out of his seat so that she may take control. "Why must we change from our Jedi Tunics Master Oden?" he questioned only for the purpose of reminding his previously occupied mind. She looked up from her seat to the otherwise seven foot blue Jedi. "If the Sith are responsible for this kidnapping, it might be possible that they have planted covert agents on certain planets in order to search for young Force sensitive beings. If that is so there might be one in Mos Espa and even more on the planet itself, if so we need to keep our identity hidden from them. Waltzing around the surface wearing our Jedi garbs might send them deeper into hiding until our departure." "I see!" Grem cocked his head slightly, giving Dorshe' the impression that he doubted his abilities again, due to a lack of experience on his own. "Don't worry Grem." she reached her hand over to pat the Vurk's elbow. "I was just like you after I became a knight, you are still young take pride that you were offered this mission on your own. It is Master Skywalker's way of displaying his trust in the skills you have." He smirked with his firm lips that remained hidden from his large slopping skull plate. "I will get dressed." "Good, I will find a ship garage on the surface for us to land the ship." With that said Venad made his way to a private cabin where he could change out of his tunic. "He will make a great master someday, and his Padawan will be fortunate to have had him as his teacher." She quietly muttered to an empty control room. 


	14. CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14  
  
Mos Espa was a thriving city, comprised of mud huts that were dwarfed by the surrounding plant life. Vines and moss covered a very little shop and market stand built at level. As the huts grew with additional stories, the plant life gradually lost its masking ability on the structures. Seemingly creating the revealing the desert that once consumed this planet was now won over by a nemesis of greenery. But the temperature emanating from the planet's twin suns did not change the heat. Tatooine was now a giant rainforest, with beautiful lush growth and majestic flowers that came be that standard. It was very difficult to believe that the Hutt's still had control. Not complete control, just over entertainment and capitalist gains, which the Tuskin natives found insulting. They had regained control over their homeworld over four centuries ago, and while they still welcomed many species to Tatooine. They cared very little for the Hutts and their greedy ways, all they truly gave the planet was crime, deception and of plight a scoundrels. Now a new kind of evil had emerged on this oasis of a planet and it was more powerful than any slug of a crime lord, or ancestor to the sand people could ever imagined. Only Master Oden and Noble Venad knew this, the Sith were here on Tatooine, and in Mos Espa. Amidst the lowlifes and dirty salesmen, a much stronger force was at work, one with darker intentions than even that of a Hutt. It was close, and grew closer as the Jedi made their way down the main street of the small city. Grem was covered in a customary grab often worn by those of his species, a large vested-shirt, and wide pants that comforted his unusual build, and no boots, this was customary for common vurks. Dorshe' managed to find the smuggler's disguise she used several years ago on an away mission. How it had found its way into her duffel, she could only describe as the will of the Force, but she was glade to see that she had it with her in this instance. Her hair was bundled back to hide its true length. The black leather jacket along with it durable pilot jump suit, and old naval boots would serve her well while in Mos Espa. "It's getting stronger Grem." She remarked trying not look directly at him as she spoke. The two Jedi focused on masking their bonds with the Force so as not to give away their Jedi nature. This only made it more difficult for them to focus on sensing the Sith presence. "I sense it's proximity as well!" he recalled the data about the case he was sent here for, having memorized it on the journey from Coruscant. Grem pointed to a small shop near the street corner. "Perhaps we should begin by questioning the girl's family. The data- pad said her father and mother own that small establishment by the end of the path." "Lead the way." She implied in a tone under her normal breath so as not to publicize their intentions. Grem did the same, taking casual steps in the shop's direction. From what Dorshe' could tell from its outward appearance, it seemed to be an old antiques shop. Outside the main door, which appeared to have no door at all, there were many items, large and small scattered onto the tables that lie in front of the shop. "K'loy's ancient treasures" she read from the sign hanging above the main entrance. She noted as they walked in what seemed to be a large hulk of metal from an ancient rebellion vehicle, at least that's what she could tell by the red phoenix like emblem on its surface. The main room inside the shop was big, but cramped with space taken up by all the antiques that filled it. Tall shelves contained many small but uniquely beautiful objects. Dorshe' could see the entire galaxy on those shelves and tables, a necklace that looked as if it were fashioned by the Ewoks on Endor. A royal Naboo hairpiece that could only be worn those who had at least three feet of naturally grown hair, and a small cube that looked familiar to the Jedi master. She could almost sense the force calling her to it, but she had to suppress that instinct or she might otherwise give herself away. Grem walked to the back of the store in search of its owner while Dorshe stood watch up front. Watching for what they didn't know but they still wished they had not needed to take such precautions. He passed many items that he would otherwise take the time to analyze to the fullest detail, but he knew his duty came first. Grem had reached the end of a far dark corner. There, he found an aged man with sun treated skin on a latter filing what looked to be like old papered text, or as master Romdel would call them, "Books". The graying haired man didn't notice the blue skinned reptile till he spoke. "Um." He cleared his throat to no advantage. "Excuse me sir!" he stated with success as the man looked down to find a tall Alien, with a large crest pointing out of his skull. "Yes? What can I do for you my friend?" he asked in a cheery expression He used to hide the pain of a loves lost. "Are you K'loy Banai?" The man glanced at Grem in a manner of concern as he placed the last of the text onto a shelf before him. "Yes, I'm him, is their something I can help you with." He began to step down from the wooden frame. "Actually there is." Grem tried his best to conjure up a quick alibi for why he was there, recalling a city once mentioned in a story about Luke Skywalker he heard from his former Master. "I'm an investigator from Mos Esiley, I and my associate have been assigned to help the local authorities here in Mos Espa to find out what happened to your daughter." The Vurk could see the sad tone resonating on K'loy's face, he would rather Grem have said'. find your daughter." Hearing anything else dims the hope he has for finding his child again. "Well I guess you will want to hear the how story." He stepped down, facing up to the widened eyes of Venad. K'loy then proceeded to walk back down to the main area of the shop, eyeing the conspicuous looking women waiting by his cashier's desk. "I'm sorry but I prefer to know the names of the people who are concerned for my Reima." Dorshe' answered not wanting Grem to give away their true identities. "I'm Nira Famrod my associate is Mr. Werg Manolk." "I see then what do you wish to know." K'loy began to polish the cube Dorshe' noticed earlier with his sleeve, not diverting his attention from Grem's words. "From what our information tells us your daughter was at play with other children when she was last seen." "Yes we were at the park in the town square on a picnic a week ago. I and my family were eating when a few children she said she knew from her school came over and asked if Reima could come and play with them on the nearby playing grounds." He began to polish the object in his hand with less precision as the memories of that day returned to him. "I took that time alone to be with my wife look into her eyes, share the passion we rarely can share when we are watching after our young one." Pain began to seep from K'loy into Dorshe'. She desired more times with Pacres as well. Tears crept behind the man's eyes as he continued. "We could not have turned our back on her for more than a few minutes, but when I turned to check on Reima, neither she nor the other children were there. My wife and I searched the entire park the rest of the day and into the night without success." Tears fell, but K'loy could care less at this point. "I managed to contact the local police, but they were of little use. I don't mean to say they didn't try to find her. In fact they did everything they could to find Reima, that's when they told me that she must have been kidnapped." His tears were replaced with anger. "If I didn't have my morals to suppress me, I might have killed that officer for even thinking that some monster would take my child! But realizing that would only bring more pain to my household I took matters to the Jedi on this planet only to find that they were away conducting some other investigation. Every night I pray that she is alive, that no harm has come to her. If there is anything you can do that tells me what has become of her, I would be willing to pay all I have for your services." Grem and Dorshe' despite their powers being held back could sense the desperation in his plea. "That will be unnecessary Sir." Grem mentioned. "We will do our best to help you and we wish no such payment." Dorshe' injected. Hope began to spring from K'loy. Why would these strangers wish to help me without money as motivation? Only a jed. Then he realized who they truly were. He placed his arms on the table, the cube now in his right hand propping himself so he could lean over to the women and the reptile. Grem and Dorshe' leaned over as well. "Your Jedi! Aren't you!" he whispered so as not to notify a nonexistent party. "Only kind of people on Tatooine who do anything without pay. Are Jedi!" Dorshe' realized there was no avoiding that obvious fact, Grem figured that eventually too. "Yes." Dorshe' replied in an even softer whisper. "But we're trying to keep a low profile, or rather a profile that dose not exist, Understood?" K'loy nodded. Understanding that Jedi know how to conduct their business, he leans upright and ends his interrogation. "Why has it taken you so long to find me, your office at Mos Edess said you were to busy to help me?" "We were sent by our off-world office." she hinted. "The higher ups believe there is something more dangerous at work here." "I see!" he returned without further question. Knowing very well when Jedi orders come from above, they are not simple matters. This frightened the shopkeeper even more. "Please let me pay you somehow, you are too much of a blessing to do this for me unrewarded. Not use to this kind of gratitude, Dorshe' decides to take advantage of this opportunity. "The Object in your right hand would be sufficient." K'loy was befuddled as he pulled the object closer to his face. "This? Are you sure! I have much more valuable antiques than this.thing?" he held it out a little farther. "I'll be honest, I don't really have any idea what 'it' actually is, but I'm sure its not as expensive as some of the other things I have." Grem was puzzled as well by Master Oden's selection, but she could tell that the force wanted her to find that object. Why else would she want such a dirty old antique. It has been said by people of her own race, that expecting mothers can make rash decisions due to their condition. But Dorshe' had her own theory as to why she did and it did not involve a sudden imbalance of hormones. "No I think if you'll insist on paying us. I would prefer to take that object even more now that you mention it." K'loy refused to understand why, he just took faith that the Jedi woman knew what it was she was acquiring cause he sure didn't. "Here you go then." He handed it to Dorshe'. She took it willingly. "Thank you!" "No, thank you!" He returned with a tearful grin. Grem decided it best to ask on more questions before they started their investigation. "Is their anything else you can tell us about your daughter that might assist in our search?" he inquired knowing very well he already had a full set of physical charts to identify Reima with. "I have her medical file with us, but that can only dwindle in comparison to a father's knowledge of his offspring." He clarified using his large ample blue lips. K'loy tried to think of anything that might help them find Reima, but he told everything to the authorities already, and the Jedi would already have that information if they got this far, but maybe not everything. He wasn't sure how this would help them find his daughter but it was all K'loy had to add. "Well, Reima was always a restless sleeper. She would often times have dreams about the people she knew, friends, family and even some people she didn't know. All in different situations." He thought harder, remembering a time not too long before her supposed abduction. "Some times she would even have these dreams during the day, when she wasn't a sleep. And the curios thing was, sometimes her Dreams came true." Dorshe' thought to herself. The sign of a child with the Force. "One time." he continued. "I was out in the backroom sorting through some boxes, when she came running down from the upstairs apartment we live in. yelling for me to stop what I was doing, at first I told her I had work to finish, but she continued yelling for me to come to her. When I said no again she began to cry, unexpectedly. I ran to her thinking she was in pain but I found no marks to prove such and that was when the entire shelve from which I was working at collapsed. That shelfe had a large piece of metal from an old X-wing fighter on top of it. Had I not come to check on what Reima was crying about, I would surly not be here now telling you this." His child most defiantly has been in tune with the Force. Grem thought to himself. "I don't know if that will help you any but that's all I can tell you that you might not know already. Anything else?" the Jedi looked to each other, they knew all they needed to know now. "That will do fine!" Grem added. "We shall be going, if we find any information about your daughter, you will be the first person we contact." Dorshe' leaned over to K'loy whispering to him once more. "May the Force be with you! K'loy Banai." She then leaded Grem out of the store as they returned to the busy main street, and for once in what seemed like eternity, K'loy felt hope. Grem on the other hand felt curiosity for the object now in Master Oden's possession. "What is it that you acquired from that man?" Dorshe' kept her eyes open in case anyone was or within earshot. "I believe it to be a Jedi Holocron." Venad's interest increased. "Why would K'loy have a Jedi Holocron?" "This is not like any regular Holocron." She returned. "The markings on it suggest that this Holocron has been around since long before the Galactic Civil War, a rare find indeed." "That's extraordinary!" his youthful exuberance almost given away to the passing pedestrians. "Yes Grem but let us worry about the device later right now we have work to do." The Vurk began to follow Oden in the direction of what appeared to be a local bar of sorts. "And I believe our next stop shall lead us in there." The pair entered the establishment via a large open wall that could accommodate a Bantha if it needed to. This cantina was surprisingly dark despite the large entry way that opened to the city-jungle outside. Dorshe' quickly scanned the room trying to fish out any being who might have a fathom of a clue to what happened to Reima, or any other kidnapped persons. Her eyes found just a person, he was a human, with tussled hair and a leather rancor jacket in one of the far corner booths, and he was surrounded by Twi'lek dancing girls, a true sign of fortune if you can afford to spend time with one of these entertainers, but Four. That was just stinkin' rich, and he sure didn't look like it. Dorshe' stepped closer to her accomplice as she told him of her plan. "You go to the Bar and keep an eye out for trouble, act inconspicuous. Don't do anything unless I signal you too, and under no circumstances are you ignite your lightsabre, unless you see a Sith coming at you with his own." Grem cocked a brow at Master Oden. "I thought you said I was incharge of this investigation?" He smirked with his plump lips. She returned with a smirk of her own. "Call it woman's initiative. Now go get a drink." "Yes Master!" he remarked in a playful but still determined tone as he made his way to an unoccupied dinking station to comply with his superior's order. While Dorshe' headed to the far corner of the booth to meet this man of humor, he had to be funny for those girls to be giggling as loud as they were. The Jedi master, put on a character fitting to her attire, only to help hide her true identity and hopefully it would pass off to the spoiled grizzly figure. She past many menacing beings of all walks of life, Dorshe' could feel their eyes viewing her form fitting jump suit, at least the half that wasn't concealed by her worn out jacket. This only caused her to sway her hips more, so as to tempt each one of them to try and face her. The high-pitched laughter increased as she finally reached the table of half naked multicolored females. Dorshe' stood before the party. In a ferial stance that signified her lust for attention which from the male's expression was more than welcome as a full sinister smile rose on his gruff face. "Well, well, what do we have here ladies?" the Twi'leks were nothing less than jealous as they evaluated the newcomer. "Looks like we might have made a new friend, what's your name Angel Dust?" Angel Dust? Her mind choked. That's the best he could do? Angel Dust, this will be easier than when I fooled Yoda into taking me on in that drinking contest back at the temple. "Names Del Mora and I come looking for somebody to talk to, how about you gorgeous, you feel up to the task?" He was more than willing, "By all means, join us please." Dorshe' needed to find a way to get rid of the distracting beauties. "Actually." she leaned her body over the table, arching her back, displaying her more promising features to the some what intoxicated man. "I was hoping I could spend some time alone, with such an attractive man like yourself." The man sandwiched between the four girls was surprised with an open jawed reaction by Dorshe's forward approach. He found this a very becoming aspect for a woman. "Girls! Why don't you leave me and the lady here a little while I and the lady here get to know each other?" He throw some credits on the table for the slender dancers to pay for their departure as Dorshe' practically pushed them out of her way so she could reach the dirty excuse of a human. She sat in the open space next to him, his eyes never leaving her body. "So." he propped his leg onto the cushioned seating, turning his body to better focus his attention on Dorshe'. All the while Grem looked on from the bar, waiting for the Bartender to make his way down to him, never taking his eyes off of Master Oden, but when you have three hundred and sixty degree vision it's hard for you to take your eyes off most anything. The Jedi knight would only use this to his advantage, along with his superior hearing, thanks to the resonating chamber that sets his people apart from most others. He was aware of ever person in the room, if the situation were to become hostile, he would know of it before anyone else. But right now, the only thing he was worried about was Dorshe'. While she is a Jedi Master and she has most likely been in even worse situations in her long career. She is also with life and Grem's people don't take such matter lightly. He felt it was in his blood to protect any woman in such a condition from harm, especially one who was noblely putting herself in the line of danger. Grem was anything but fond of her spontaneous decision to meet this lowlife, but he thought it best to yield to Master Oden's experience once again. The bartender finally made his way down to Grem, but to Grem's surprise the bartender wasn't a he at all. Rather a female and a very attractive one even by the Vurk's standards. Her hair was shoulder length, dark and very lustrous, but she was not human, not completely anyway. She had blue skin, much lighter than Grem's, with spots that ran down the back of her shoulders and the backs of her hands at least that's as far as he could tell without a peek underneath her garments. She also had horns on the sides of her head, two on either side lightly poking out of her skin with the darkest brown eyes Grem had ever seen in all his time traveling the universe. A small smile grew on his face, one he did not intend. The bartender returned the smile, which only made Grem's grow even more. "You goin' to order a drink buddy, or should I start charging you for staring?" Venad, now realizing his lack of control over his facial features quickly yielded his smile. "My apologies, I meant no offence." "An apology? Well I don't believe in all the three years I've been bartending this place, that I have ever once heard an apology, let alone one directed at me." She playfully remarked as she leaned her elbows on the table, closer to Grem. "That can only mean one of two things." The reptile cocked his elongated head at her composer. "Either you're a smuggler who knows how to charm the ladies into a one nightstand or your from a distant galaxy where good manners still exist." His smile returned. "Well, if I told you, I was a smuggler. Then I would have lost any chance I had at spending time with you outside these walls." She was amused by his honesty. "But on the other hand I would probably spend that time trying to tell you how manners still do exist in this galaxy in which case I doubt I or anyone else would end up getting their drinks." She laughed, displaying a full white toothed smile. "You are a charmer if not anything else. What will it be.?" Grem didn't know why he felt like telling this woman his true name but he saw no harm in it. "Grem, Grem Venad and I don't know exactly what I want? Maybe you could help me pick a drink.?" he leaned in slightly so he could hear her name clearly. "Jossal, Marie Jossal and I think you look like a man who could use a refreshing 'spring sunrise'." She reached under the bar and pulled out two small bottles of varying colors, as Grem glanced over to Dorshe' to make sure she was still alright. Marie couldn't help but notice the vurk's sudden switch of view. She traced his eyes to the self proclaimed booth of Gimer Notn as she finished pouring the glass for Grem. "Friend of yours?" she remarked in a fierce voice. "The lady's a business partner of mine!" he returned, winging his best alibi to cover that he wasn't with the man Dorshe' was interrogating, at least he hope she was interrogating him. "She just likes to have a little fun with people she doesn't know." He took a drink of the sunrise, his lips squeezed a bit at the sour taste. Marie voiced her concern for Grem's friend. "There are better people for your friend to be messing around with." "Oh? How do you mean." She began to whisper. "His name is Gimer Notn, he's probably the most vile smuggler in this region of space. If the republic officials knew a quarter of the things he's done they would have him executed." Grem was pulled back as hearing this opinion, execution hasn't been used in the republic since before the emperor's reign. This Gimer might be the lead he's looking for. "What makes him worthy of such a punishment?" his eyes still focused on Gimer, for fear of Dorshe's well being. "I personally don't know what he's done, except for the way he treats the dancers after he's had a view shots, but word of mouth is that he will take any job if it pays him well enough. I've heard that he's smuggled Jappor's acid, and some other lethal narcotics, along with poached animal skins from endangered species." She leaned in to the space where Grem's ears would have been, if he were like most other beings. "I've even been told that he's smuggled small children over to the unknown-territory." His eyes widened this was exactly what he wanted to hear, he had found a man who might very well know who was behind these kidnappings, but this man was also dangerously close to Master Oden and he could do nothing but sit there and watch. "Just the thought of him makes me sick you best keep an eye on your lady pal there before she gets herself into deep mess. He's the last kind of business you want to deal with." He took one more sip; his drink was still a bit tart for his taste. "Thank you Marie I will beware of this from now on, but I'm sure my friend can handle him on her own. Dorshe' glanced over to Grem, seeing that he was fraternizing with the pretty little blue bartender. He looked like he was having a splendid time with the spotted beauty, unlike the time she was sharing with Gimer. She had managed to find out his name through all his dirty jokes, and even dirtier looks that he gave her, and if there was one thing she was sure about. It's that he had managed to spend the entire time with her, without looking at her eyes. She grew tired of this she knew of only one thing that would force the information, without her literary 'forcing' it out of him. "So this Malastarian woman comes up to me at a bar up in Mos Eslef." Oh great, yet another dirty story, its times like this I regret the Force giving ever being a mouth to speak from. ".so that's when I told her! If you can't handle the heat then get out of the kitchen chica!" She had enough of this, while Gimer was distracted by his own over-obnoxious laugh, she gave him a humoring one as she reached into her jacket and pulled out her lightsabre underneath the table, out of common sight. "Well Gimer that's just about the most uninteresting thing I have ever heard!" she said in a seductive tone that left the smuggler more than confused at this point, but his attention to Dorshe's words sharpened as he felt something slowly graze his inner thigh. Inching its way to the buckle of his pants, his arousing state was abruptly cut off, by sensation of a small metallic barrel jabbing into his crotch. He took a gulp of air, as he feared the object is a laser pistol, but it wasn't a pistol at all. Rather something much more dangerous than a pistol. "Now listen to me Gimer!" Dorshe' demanded in her still seductive whisper so as not to draw attention, but Grem could see from across the room that something was wrong with him and knowing how Master Oden works he didn't want to know. "It's very obvious that you know something others have a blind eye to on this planet, but I won't be so easily swayed. You have information I need! And you are going to tell it to me, Understood?" He exhaled then took another loss of breath as she pressed the hilt deeper into his crotch. "Yes ma'am." "Good, now what can you tell me about recent disappearances of young children in this sector, especially anything involving one Reima Banai?" Now he was looking her in the eyes, tears being fought back to save what was left of his macho-persona. "I don't know any names I just take the cargo where I'm paid to take It." he sharply gritted his teeth as the hilt dug deeper so into his flesh. How dare he consider them as mere cargo! Her mind shouted, almost spilling anger inconsistent with her Jedi upbringing. "Then what do you know? Who is your employer? Where do you take the children once you have completed your tasks?" Her teeth were starting to grit now. "Alright, alright I'll tell 'ya anything just don't shoo." He was cut of by the scorching sounds of laser bolts searing his chest as Dorshe' hit the floor under the table. This sent the bar into a frenzy, everyone was trying to find their way out of the madness as Grem headed for Dorshe' fearing she had been hit herself keeping note of the cloaked figure that was first to exit. "Master Oden are you.?" "He's dead." She cut him off not to daring waste precocious time. "Did you see who shot him?" she stood up to the vurk as people still hurried out. "Yes, follow me!" and he ran for the exit as Dorshe' followed his lead. The main street was cluttered with people who were in desperate search of safety, and many others fleeing the rampage. The dark figure was running deeper into the city, the two Jedi made quick pursuit. They managed to follow him into an alley way, before the dark being fired a few undirected shots in the hope that it would thwart off his predators as he made a giant leap into the thick jungle behind the city fence. Grem had dodged a few of the shots directed at him, but Dorshe' had taken a bolt in the shoulder. The damage was minimum, her unique physiology took the blast with little worry of lasting repercussions. "Are you hurt Master Oden?" he shot in the mix. "No, now follow me." She ran to the wall and made a Force propelled jump over its relatively short height. Her Jedi counter part quickly did the same as they noticed the agent of evil hopping off from tree to tree in the distance they again did likewise closing the gap to their target. The assailant dropped his pistol in favor of a weapon to better combat his two opponents. He reached into his robe and pulled out a small metal shaft that could only be one thing. Grem could tell what it was. "Master Oden, He has a Lightsabre!" With that said Dorshe' ignited the weapon she still held in her hand as the dark man stopped on a branch to confront the Jedi soldiers. Master Oden exchanged blows with the dark one while Grem took another moment to pullout, and ignite his weapon. The vurk knew his massive weight could not be supported by the ample tree limb, so he latched his powerful opposable feet on to the adjacent trunk securing a position from which he could assist Dorshe' in her attack. The cloaked being, who could only be a Sith, was fiercely fending off his Jedi opponents with a master's skill. Dorshe' could sense no emotion powering his strikes it's as if he had no feelings at all, none but pure undeniable determination. He was not like the Sith back on Kamino, he was the Jedi equivalent to a Master. Not needing to rely on cheap tricks or evil deceptions, just his skill and his bond to the Darkside. With each swipe, or parry, or block Grem and Dorshe' could wield, this dark lord would defend himself by using their strikes to throw them off balance. Once Venad was dazed by a swift kick to his large face from the Sith's boot. The dark warrior cut off the half of the branch from the tree that Dorshe' was standing on. Sending her falling into the bushes below, the dark lord knew his orders were to take them alive so with one quick swipe of his red blade, he removed the upper section of the bark which the vurk had mounted his feet to. Allowing Grem to fall very ungracefully in a bush right next to his Orveasian companion, the two would have jumped back onto their feet if not for the twenty some black armored men pointing very large pulse rifles in their faces. The Jedi quickly realizing this was all one elaborate trap, deactivated their sabres, so that the descending blue and silver blades would signify surrender on the Jedi's part. The Sithlord leaped down from the remaining half of the tree branch so he may bear witness to the success of his mission. "Stand up!" He demanded and the Jedi did such, in order to be welcomed by the inevitable disarming and restraint so commonly done in the protocol of taking prisoners. While two of the soldiers secured their hands together behind their backs, Grem looked over to mutter at master Oden. "Looks like I've lost control of this investigation." He smirked despite the little hole they dug themselves into, as one of the soldiers pushed the Jedi in the direction of their ship, hidden by the massive trees. There they would be taken to their new accommodating prison cells on the cloaked ship in orbit of Tatooine. 


	15. CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 15  
  
Master Skywalker strolled the halls of the Jedi temple, not really caring where he ended up as long as he could escape the work awaiting him on his office table. R2-D2 and C-3PO saw their master wandering past them in the open chamber leading to yet another endless hallway of arches and muted primary colors. 3PO thought it best to catch up with his rightful owner so they might catch up on the time they have shared apart. "Master Yoda!" the effeminate yet still male voice of 3PO yelled in a dignified tone so not to disturb the other surrounding Jedi. Yoda turned his head first then his whole self when his realized it was his two loyal droids who came approaching him. "3PO, R2!" he smiled. "I hope the Force has granted you two, a fruitful day?" He stretched out his hand to lay a familiar pat on the shoulder of the protocol droid, and gave a simple wink to the astromech. "Why of course Master Yoda, my work here at the Temple has always given me the most uneventful, non-threatening, and by far kindest experiences I have had in the last fourteen hundred years. They have been the calmest, most blissful days a droid could ever hope for." R2 hooted, and heeted in disagreement, 3PO shook his head knowing his fateful friend would never stray from his addiction to adventure. "Unlike my partner here, of course!" "Of course!" Skywalker chuckled as he began to continue his journey down the tall corridor as the two droids joined him in his time of reflection. 3PO on his left and R2 circled to his right, forming a very unusual family portrait. "Master Yoda" he turned his head to the golden bot. "I and R2 have been curious. With the return of those dreadful Sith creatures, what part will these ancient clones have in the coming confrontations?" 3PO asked a question that his Master still had been wondering himself, but unlike most times he could not give his shiny friend the answer that he desired. "I'm not sure about the others, but I know that the Jedi replicas will most likely be used to help all the other Jedi in the future battles, but let us hope that we will not loose any lives in that process, whether they be replicated or 'homegrown' as they say." He remarked in a manner of regret for even thinking of such useless loss of life. How can we bring these lives into the world after two thousand years of being dead to the universe only face the possibility of returning to oblivion? He mourned to himself. Taking a brief, quiet moment to remind him that the Force does nothing without reason, but this only served to cause Master Skywalker to ask more questions in his subconscious mind. Most of which revolved around the Old Sun prophecy, something that seemed so much like a child's bedtime story, something so universal that it had transgressed time and language, and yet it was deeply threaded in Jedi philosophy. With discovery of the clones along with the message left by Quinlan Vos, it has become increasingly more difficult to deny the apparent reality of this prophecy coming true. Yoda couldn't deny what the Force had in store for the Jedi, the Sith resurrection was at hand, now operating in the open it could only lead to one thing. "War!" and if the legend of the Old Sun were true, that could mean the devastation of the Jedi Order, once again. Again? Yoda halted in his step, causing R2 and 3PO to come to abrupt stop as well. "Master is everything in good terms?" the tallest of the two droids queried. "3PO do you contain knowledge of the 'Old Sun' prophecy?" the Jedi master raised his arms to intertwine with each other. "Why of course my Master, R2 played the message you had found on Kamino to me, shortly before I recorded it into the Great Archive of the temple's Library." He slightly waved his constricted arms as he spoke, something that always annoyed Yoda. "I can recall all the information I stored in my personal databanks if you would like?" "No that won't be necessary I just had an epiphany that may alleviate some fears I have come to discover." The Jedi master took in a deep breath as his circuit nerved counterparts looked to him for his response. "Do you recall the part of the message where Jedi master Vos mentioned the reign of the dark sun and how it would plant the seeds of evil then to be banished by the new sun before they would over power the Rock?" 3PO nodded, R2 gave a single hoot. "What if the dark sun has already been cast away?" "Your Pardon Master?" both droids were befuddled now. "The Empire 3PO, what if the Emperor was the one who cast the dark sun over the galaxy?" Yoda's mind began to race with the possibility, which rapidly became more and more factual as he continued. "That would mean when the Empire fell and the Emperor was finally killed, then the new sun has already appeared." 3PO and R2 being the only remaining survivors of the Galactic Civil War, came to the same conclusion, unable themselves to deny the implications of the Prophecy. "I assume that only proves that we will need these clones to bring back the Old sun? How? I'm not sure, but let us pray that the Force will see it through with the destruction of the Sith." "Beepooo!" R2 proclaimed as a rush of electronic adrenalin surged through his circuits giving C-3PO the urge to slap his wheeled friend's dome. "Only you R2-D2 would happen to have lived so long yet still so recklessly." Yoda chuckled at the display of his unintentionally humorous friends. "I swear, one of these days you will wear my circuits down to binary coding with your dangerous lifestyle." "I believe I shall be going now!" Skywalker slowly continued walking as 3PO continued to give his infamous 'R2 you reckless.' speech to the enthusiastic astromech. Their sounds became more and more distant as the Jedi Master continued to reflect on the inner peace he so desired. A peace usually granted by his wife, Angel's presence but he would have to settle for the never-ending love of the force while she remained absent. He admired the beautifully simplistic architecture of the cathedral like ceilings and thick tall standing pillars as he passed each different hallway. The Force was every bit apart of the great Temple as was any other Jedi it housed, surely a true testament to the Jedi's strength and abilities through the Force. Yoda stopped in the middle of his journey, and opened his heart to the light. Beyond the walls of this temple in to the minds of his loved ones, his children, his wife, his sister and even his friends. This calmed his mind, except he couldn't reach Dorshe'. She was being blocked from him, but it is not unlikely that she is shielding her mind from him; it was how she hid her pregnancy for so long. Dorshe' Oden, a mother! He thought. Knowing very well there was no one woman more deserving of such a miracle, She will make a great mother! He brought his essence back to the Temple, but then it stopped again. There was a presence masking itself inside the temple, it was close, very close. Skywalker turned to his left to find what seemingly appeared to be a fellow Jedi in dark brown robes, and the tradition tunics worn by most of the Order, but his hood was covering all signs of his true identity as he entered a turbo-lift. Skywalker had never in all his life ever seen a Jedi with their cloak up, in the Temple. This was most peculiar, he hurried over to try and catch the lift before the hatch sealed so he might discover who this being was. "Hey!" he shouted trying to catch the person's attention so he might stop the lift and allow Skywalker access, but he in turn gave no response and the doors whipped shut. The Jedi master found this unsettling; his eyes peered to the lift control panel to see where the mystery man is heading. Yoda almost fell from his step when he saw the readout; the lift was directed to the Science Laboratory Storage deck. "The Clones!" he had prayed he read it wrong, but Yoda couldn't deny what his eyes could gather. He looked around the Hall, trying to find as many Jedi as he could in the sparsely filled alcove. "Everyone, I require your assistance! I believe there to be an intruder in the temple." All eleven the various beings of the Force turned their focus to the blonde Jedi. "Master Ulomar, contact security, tell them to lock down all exits, tell them to begin with the clone, storage floor!" Quarren Jedi complied, as he ran with his Padawan learner, to alert the security watchmen. Leaving Yoda with nine others to assist him "Noble Paullex, you and V'fas stay here and take watch until the situation is under control." The two knights nodded in compliance as R2 and 3PO entered the mix. "Everybody else." Yoda removed his robe and tossed it to the golden droid, 3PO caught it over his head, do to a lack of common reflex, ".follow me!" he then removed his lightsabre from its holster as he led the group of warriors down to the Laboratory, via nearest unoccupied lift. To confront this dark man.  
  
Once in the lift, Jiles removed his hood, not wishing to stay one more second in its vile representation. He knew the Jedi were now aware of his presence in their sanctuary, so he saw no reason to confined to their horrid attire. Oiket removed his arms from the stolen cloak, as it slipped to the floor of the lift to reveal his clad leather jumpsuit. He then reached down to his thick utility belt to remove the genetic scanner, now that he knew who he came for, the device should ease the process of finding the replica leaving time for Jiles to escape, if he worked quickly. The Sith lord leaped out of the lift as soon as there was an opening wide enough, his first task was to disable the automated internal defense system, since Jiles had memorized the blueprints taken by the Cole android. He simply gave a quick blast of dark energy directed at the main power management panel. The bolt of hate-filled lighting decimated the console, redirecting all the room's power into the reserve generator, which in turn lowered the lighting while also deactivating the automated guns and sensor pallets. "Step One: Check!" he smirked. Jiles continued his well-thought plan; he activated the geno-scanner as he leaped from each of the tall storage pillars. Trying desperately to find the clone that matches the preprogrammed sequences, Oiket could sense the Jedi getting closer, he worked faster with each breath, from pillar to pillar, level by level, and clone to clone. Where are You? The thought echoed in his mind with rising anger, as he jumped over to the next tower, and to his surprise he found him with the first scan. "Step Two: Check!" Jiles tapped a button on the small scanner's panel to activate the three saucer probes that the Cole droid had placed in the lab. The three shiny black plates disabled their cloaks and flew to Jiles's proximity, he then used the scanner's targeting laser to identify the replica to be acquired. After doing so he pocketed the small hand unit and began to release the stasis tube's power coupling as the hover droids latched their thin tentacles onto the large steel-glass jar. The two smaller ones wrapping around the sides and the third larger one on top, then the newly formed transport device pulled the replica chamber out from it's housing foundation. Jiles typed a coded series of algorithms into his small wrist control, ordering the assembled droids to ignite the plasma drill. Atop the biggest droid, a thick red pyramid of focused lasers formed a foot tall high drill about two feet in diameter. Jiles smiled with envy, wishing his lightsabre were so powerful. "Step Three: Check!" The moment of triumph was obliterated by sounds of footsteps bellowing into the room. Those footsteps belonged to a band of Jedi knights led by Master Skywalker. "Up there!" one of the Jedi yelled pointing his blue lightsabre at the devious Jiles. Before the Jedi could mount an attack, Oiket reached into his utility poach and pulled five flash bombs into his left hand. He threw the small spherical weapons at the eight persons, creating a great blast of light in the explosion's wake. Little did they know that the devices weren't meant to explode as Skywalker ordered them to duck. Prior to the clearing of the smoke, Jiles clenched onto the probe container as it shot through the far wall of the Laboratory using the invincible tool it emanated. Once the droid had forced its way through the ten foot wide wall it made it disappeared into the coruscant night. "Is everyone in good condition?" Skywalker stood up as the smoke dissipated, upset that the dark being had escaped, but now more concerned to the well being of his cohorts. He was content to hear the positive responses, he returned to the business at hand. "Good, now we need to restore power to this level before the Clones' reserves run out!" the Jedi knew how important the clones were, not as much as Yoda has come to understand but that did not thwart them in their efforts to reinitiate the energy flow. Yoda felt a sensation of pride for his fellow Jedi's determination as he began to skim his eyes around the room to see if the villain had caused any more damage to the vital systems of the lab. He found none, until his gaze fell upon an empty port on one of the storage pillars upper levels. The same tower the unknown vigilant was upon before he escaped via the large whole he created in the wall, making the warehouse vulnerable to the outside nightlight. "Someone please inform the repair crew that we have a structural breach down here!" and just as soon as Yoda stated that, Chevacca walked into the room. "Yoda!" the Wookiee glanced at the surroundings noticing the laboratory's new open window. "What happened? Who is responsible for this?" He growled in fear of the answer. "Who else could have done something like this?" he returned. The furry Jedi's worries came true. "What did the Sith do down here?" he turned to his friend seeing the sorrow in his face and sensing the pain in his heart. "He took one of the Clones!" Chevacca's eyes widened at the revelation, all the emotions a Jedi had learned to purge almost overflowed into Chevacca's heart, he grinded his teeth as the feelings passed through him, not allowing the evil essences to take him. Yoda, stone faced by the horrid crime, took strength from his friend's soothing presence. Chevacca laid a paw on Master Skywalker's shoulder for comfort. "Do you know which one the Sith stole from us?" "Yes and No, I do know that it wasn't one of the replicas we have already identified, I do know it was one of the Jedi, and I also know it was one of the Jedi that's file was lost on the list. So who it is they took exactly we may never know!" His hands tightened into a fist, and Chevacca's grip tightened as well. "Who ever it was is gone now, lost to their sick and twisted intentions!" "Don't think like that Yoda, we could send a team of Jedi after him." "No it's lost!" Skywalker looked up to the tall Master before him. "For some unknown method of Force this was meant to happen, all we can do now is be thankful no one else was hurt or taken." Master Chevacca yielded his limb from his friend's side, he was not going take the news he had any better from this point on so he might as well tell Skywalker what else has happened. Yoda could sense Chevacca's concern grow even more as he released his grip. Skywalker looked deeper into Chevacca's eyes he could almost read the news of his mind, but did not out of mutual respect. "What has happened Chevacca?" "We have just received a transmission from our Watchmen on Tatooine." He collected his thoughts. "The Lorrax has been discovered in a ship port on the out skirts of Mos Espa. From what they could gather there was no sign that Noble Venad had returned to the ship in over several hours, well beyond the time he was supposed to file his necessary chrono-report!" "Do they know what happened to him?" "They have yet to find out, most of the Watchmen are still on a prior engagement and the few that aren't, are currently doing their best to find out." "That's not the worst of what you had to tell me, was it?" The Wookiee bowed his head. "The Watchmen viewed the Lorrax's Flight logs." Yoda's anxiousness returned. "The log's showed no sigh of the ship going anywhere near Orveaous before it left this system." "Dorshe'!" Yoda clenched as Chevacca went on. "From what the locals could say, they saw a dark-haired humanoid woman and a blue skinned vurk around the city asking questions about a missing child." This caused Yoda to grow more curious. "A local bartender noticed the two enter her establishment asking more questions about a smuggler, who was murdered in the bar while being interrogated by Master Oden. They then pursued the culprit of the killing deep into the thick of the forest. They have not been seen in the city since." He finished in an apologetic tone. Yoda's eyes intensified with realization. "They were kidnapped!" "I sensed the same thing!' the furry one returned expecting such a possibility to arise. Chevacca then pulled out a data panel and handed it to Yoda. "Acorroding to the Tatooine space control, a small unregistered shuttle launched from the surface close to Mos Espa, shortly after Dorshe' and Grem's disappearance." Master Skywalker quickly read over the touch panel. "Shuttle mysteriously vanished into nothing near the planet's orbit, at first the space control officer thought the ship had jumped to hyperspace, but after a thorough sensor sweep of the area, the control station discovered what seemed to be a large sensor ghost encompassing a small region where the ship disappeared." "A cloaking device!" it was all starting to make perfect sense. "Yes, if you will continue reading, you will note that a large hyperspace quake was emitted shortly after the shuttle's departure. One that was far too big to have been created by a vessel so small." Yoda more determined now than ever to put an end to this chaos once and for all. "Hail the Virtuous, inform Master Amtlar of the kidnapping and tell him and the fleet to convert to search and rescue code nine! Also see if you can contact Forewoman Antilles and inform her of our current predicament" "Understood!" Chevacca began to exit as the repair team finally entered into the chamber to fix the damage left behind from the theft.  
  
"Chevacca." the Wookiee turned from his step. ".From now on I want round the clock security watchmen securing this room." "Yes master Skywalker." he continued on. Yoda stood there gazing off into the distant skyline pierced by the city's great towers of light. .Begun this clone war has. Yoda heard the words of an even more distant being, someone not only separated from him by the limits of space, but also by the span of time. The words of someone so close, personally but so far universally, the words of one who had survived something very similar to this, but he paid a high price, a price Skywalker would not take without a fight.  
  
* * *  
  
Fett waited for the Probe transport inside the shuttle cargo hold, while the ship was cloaked Fett and his crew would have to rely on the Cole droids advanced reflexes to pilot the ship out of the dense traffic paths. One of Tagor's subordinates broke the tense silence. "Sir the droid is closing! Sir." "Open the cargo doors and guide it in soldier!" he ordered. The armored Foot-soldier manned a small remote unit that controls the droid's flight systems. "Sir it's difficult to pilot the droid?" "How so Private?" he cocked an invisible eyebrow, hidden behind his cold steel helmet. "I think the probe has taken on extra weight." Fett knew exactly why, and he was less than happy to hear it. "That coward!" Tagro grumbled. "Do you want me to try and shake him loose Sir?" he replied. "No bring him in I'll just have deal with Jiles later!" and slowly but surely the probe droid Oiket made its way into the shuttles storage hold. The device floated over the main deck for a moment longer so Jiles could safely release his grip from the small transport. "I hope you had a safe trip Jiles?" "Shut-up Tagro!" He was not in a mood to be humored, but neither was Fett. The cargo door shut "Pilot return us to the Ship!" the Cole android could do nothing but follow her master's orders, her hands flew over the controls and almost instantaneously, the shuttle jolted into the sky above. "Now sit down Jiles, we have a lot to discuss once we get this thing back to the ship." Fett pointed to the stasis chamber now being secured into a steel crate by two of the soldiers. Oiket was not pleased with Fett's words; he could not sense what his future held for him after this point, now Jiles only sensed fear. 


	16. CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 16  
  
The turbo-lift carried Master Skywalker down to the Hanger deck, now garbed in his traditional Jedi duty uniform Yoda was determined not to let anything get in the way of his plan. The lift came to a halt and the doors hissed open to reveal Master Chevacca blocking Yoda's exit, he was annoyed to see the Wookiee's sudden appearance. "How do you do that?" Yoda expelled. "Practice!" The furry man returned. "I can't allow you to do this Yoda!" "And why not Chevacca?" he returned. "I have assigned the last of the work abiding to the clones over to Master Kunda so as not to delay my work, and I have more than full authority to join the fleet in the War effort if I choose." "I have no objection to your desire to assist the Fleet!" the blonde man was caught of guard by the brown haired Jedi's words. "I only refuse to allow you to join the Fleet in that flying junk pile you consider a ship!" the wookiee then took a step to the side to point at the over-aged Corellian starship in the center of the flight deck. Master Skywalker couldn't help but laugh at Chevacca's observation. "That ship has been in my family for generations it has never let me down." "The 'Millennium Falcon' belongs in a Museum not a Dog fight. For the Love of the force Yoda, that thing is older than the New Republic itself, and the more you upgrade it the more it falls apart! For all anyone knows the engines will fall out before you can even enter Hyperspace!" Yoda placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well if it's my faith in the Force that hold's that ship together. Then the Falcon should be just fine!" just then, a small portion of the of the falcon's hull, fell loose, dangling by a few wires. Chevacca stood there, with the raised brow and crossed arms of a man who was proven correct by the Force. "I'm still going on that ship; I won't have it any other way!" "I knew it was hopeless to change your mind, you're a Skywalker! That's why I'm coming with you!" Chevacca parted his robes, to display his own specially fitted Jedi uniform. "Glad to have you onboard!" Skywalker then stepped out of the lift as the pair made their way to the Falcon's access ramp. As they passed the hanging piece of metal, Chevacca calmly ripped it off and handed it to Yoda who then tossed it onto an open storage bin that contained even more of the Falcon's broken pieces. "I have a bad feeling about this." The Skywalker tapped a panel located in the corridor adjacent to the access ramp, sealing the entry hatch and then hailing flight control. "Flight control this is Master Skywalker, open the bay doors, I and Master Chevacca have matters that need immediate attention!" "Yes Master Skywalker." the control droid responded. "Doors opening, May the Force be with you!" "And also with you!" he released the hold on the console then proceeded to the cockpit. A small room barely capable of fitting four people, filled with glowing lights illuminating from the hundreds of panels mounted into the walls of the control-room. If it was one thing that pleased Chevacca about this ship, it's that the navigation chair was designed to meet the comfort needs of a Wookiee. This only left Yoda manning the conn station. The Bay doors parted as the Millennium Falcon's landing gears retracted and the corellian vessel hovered over the deck beneath it. Slowly the tranquil light of the coruscantian dawn poured into the hanger bay, consuming its surface with the majestic colors of red, purple, and orange. The Millennium Falcon's reflective shell glowed with warming hues, "let's get going." With a great push of its massive rear repulse thruster, it shot into the low hanging morning clouds. And as the sky past them, stars began to surround them, they heard him.the innocence.that could only belong to a child not yet of this world.but alive.and with the Force. They knew where to go now, Umgul. "Once we exit the hyperspace border set course for the Umgul sector!" "Already plotted!" Chevacca rotated his seat to face Yoda. "What do you think it was?" "I don't know, It felt like Dorshe' but it didn't at the same time?" He pondered further only to remain lost in the possibilities from Coruscant to the Hyperspace Border, and even with so much time, he remained as befuddled as his Wookiee friend. "We have reached the border now entering Hyperspace!" the hyperdrive began to slowly grumble, then gave out. Chevacca glanced at Skywalker, and Yoda returned his glare. "I got it!" The bearded man raised his left fist high above his head then slammed it down onto the main console. The Millennium Falcon's engines came back to life, signified by the ship booming into Hyperspace.  
  
The room was dark, if it were not for the illumination of the shield walls that contained them, Dorshe' and Grem would be blinded by blackness. The cold steel floor was all they could touch with out being scorched by the cell's powerful barriers. All they could do was sleep, and meditate; the Jedi could not speak to others with the force for rescue. It was quite apparent that what Master Oden and her vurk counterpart were on was populated by hundreds of Sith, any effort to contact others through the bond that Jedi share was thwarted by Sith disciples constantly shielding the room, and the entire ship from any sigh of existence. "It's hopeless." Grem exhaled. Again Dorshe' is upset with Venad's lack of optimism. "The situation is intimidating yes, but 'Hopeless'!" she smirked despite the situation they were trapped in. "I wouldn't be a Jedi if I believed anything was hopeless." Grem was to tired to argue, especially with a female Jedi master like Dorshe' Oden. "Your right master Oden, but still what else can we do?" She gave him an answer with her eyes closed and chin pointed to the ceiling as she removed the pin that bounded her long dark strands. "All we can do now is wait and." Don't say it! He pleaded to his inner voice that it not be what they have been doing for the past six hours. .Meditate! His inner voice did respond to his cry, and it sounded an awful lot like Master Dorshe'. The blue reptile refolded his legs on the floor, and began to calm his mind to a trance like state once again. Before he could fully reach such a condition the room filled with a stunning bright light, completing obliterating any hope for the two Jedi to reach full meditation now. Their attention was now focused on the far wall, where a large hatch began to open, revealing a man garbed in a long black cloak. The Jedi, now forgone of trying to meditate, stood in their place so they might receive a better look at this Sith lord. He was the same being who captured them on Tatooine. The villain stepped close to the shield barrier, admiring its efficient beauty. "Such a wonderful invention this is" He smirked. "No way in or out! Marvelous!" he chuckled, while Oden and Venad were less than amused by his toying. "What have you done with the children you kidnapped?" Dorshe' snapped.  
  
The Sith's smirk evaporated into his words. "'We' saved all of them from a useless and pitiful existence as Jedi!" He looked deeper into the Orveasians silver eyes. "Just as the Master did for me!" he continued on, "We sought them out, searched for their essences, made them aware of their power and give it to them freely!" Grem returned a glance to the man on the other side of the glowing red wall. "What right does your 'Master' have to mandate the lives of innocents?" "Much more than you mere Jedi!" he turned to the seven foot vurk. "We don't dictate their life the Force reveals the light to them." "The light? The Light!" His muscles began to tense with anger at the Jedi's impotence. "The Light has no power compared to that of the Darkside!" he started to pace around the four walled cell of energy. "All you do is debate and meditate and rely on your technological advancements to help you overcome your trials and tribulations. You never took significant action, never truly used Force in your dealings and for that you are weaker. No one should be subject to weakness, it's what destroys purity" "You don't know what purity even is!" Dorshe' turned to the Sith as he walked out of her limited angle of view. "What ever 'purity' you had, has become tainted by irrational hate, undirected anger, and false faith in something you don't completely understand!" He halted tightening his hands into powerful fists, Dorshe' could feel his heart burning! "Your name is.Quinn.isn't it?" his heart was a book to her. "You mother was.Telad and your father was.Rec." Grem could see it too. ".you have two sisters.your home is a small hut on Dantooine.You'r.." ".Silence, Silence! SILENCE!" she acted as if his outburst were that of a child not getting his way from his parent. He then ripped his cloak off his skull to reveal a face sacred by tortuous black tattoos of hate and pain. "Quinn is dead! Darth Lulet arose from his ashes a long time ago!" Grem and Dorshe' did not waiver at his yelling! "He has no life. He never was, but I am!" he became so enraged that he punched his fist into the laser surface of the cell. "Agh!" The broken man pulled his melted hand away into his body, cradling it as if that same small child was knelt down protecting a sick beast. Dorshe' kneeled down as well to look the poor man in the eyes. "Power!, purity, Lulet?" she lifted her hand up so as to barely touch the barrier. "The Sith possess no such things!" "Hate leads to Anger, Anger causes Suffering, Suffering to Pain and Pain to Loss!" Grem injected. "This is the way of the Sith!" "You know nothing better! The amount of Power one yields for self means nothing to the Force." She them placed her hand against the laser wall. It did not even tickle the Jedi master's skin. "It's how you use that Power to benefit all! That's what matters to the Force!" Lulet looked up with painful eyes of undirected hate, before he could speak, the room became dark again, and the door closed as the omnipresent image of the Royal Dark Master appeared. Lulet's pain grew more as he groveled to the floor, bowing his head and laying his arms towards his lord, displaying his battered limb. Dorshe' and Grem stood tall in defiance of the menacing projection. The Dark master took notice of Darth Lulet's injury, not caring much for his wellbeing. "Darth Lulet, leave before I tend to the wound in a matter less existent of gene-replication." "Yes my Master!" he muttered as he wasted no time finding his own exit, still holding his burnt appendage while the hatch closed behind him. The evil woman redirected her attention to her caged Jedi. "Try as you might Jedi. You cannot sway my disciples so easily." "Your disciples?" Dorshe' confronted, causing the image to pull her head back in spite of the interruption. "I might not be the foremost expert on Sith hierarchy, but I was aware that if any thing else, the Sith were only disciples of the Darkside of the Force." Master Oden's arms crossed themselves over her chest, as to represent an unbreakable wall. The dark woman sneered at the smart-mouthed Jedi. "I was born of the Darkside!" The Jedi were struck by confusion. "You find this hard to comprehend, don't you? Even with all the great miracles for which the Force has brought to the Jedi. You find it difficult to believe that Darkside is capable of such a feat, despite its obvious power." Venad's eyes grew with intensity. "What do you mean you were born of the Darkside? No one can be born of the Darkside!" "Don't you spew your Jedi propaganda at me you simpleton." Her voice returned in echo through the walls of the black room. Causing the metal to pang with a quake of anger, "Must I be the one to remind you of the Great Anakin Skywalker! One who was conceived purely of the Force, the one who brought true balance to the Force by ridding the universe of the Jedi scum, during the Glorious rise of the Empire, as Darth Vader." Dorshe' could not hold back the tiny laugh she expelled as the Sith woman finished her banter. "Ha! And you say my friend here is the one who spews propaganda!" Now the Sith master was lost in thought. "Yes Anakin Skywalker was conceived and born solely of the Force, and yes he did fall to the temptations of the Darkside of the Force. But what you misunderstood was that Anakin brought the Balance to the Force not Vader." She paced the limits of her cell as she retold the ancient story. "You see my dear Sith, during the Battle of Endor onboard the infamous Deathstar of the Empire. Luke Skywalker, Anakin's son you know no doubt, dueled with his father while the Emperor Palpatine watched from the sidelines. As the fight became more tense and Luke himself almost became devoured by the Darkside, the Jedi struck a crippling blow to his father. Weakening him before the Emperor, but the young Skywalker refused to share in his father's fate and purged his evil emotions, spoiling the Emperor's failed scheme." Grem joined in once again, screwing any respect he would have for a person like the Sith master emitted before them. "The Emperor was not pleased with Luke's refusal to join the Darkside, so rather than let the crippled Vader try to finish his son. Palpatine unleashed his furry upon Skywalker, sending pain into his body through the Darkside, the Emperor had Luke near to death with his vicious attack." Dorshe' concluded, standing ever so close to the holo-image without touching the energy-wall. "But whatever was left of Anakin Skywalker inside the shell of Darth Vader could not allow himself to watch his son's demise and with a great surge of the Force now acting through him. Anakin lifted Palpatine over his head, and tossed him into the core of the Deathstar, destroying the Emperor, the empire, and what ever darkness remained of Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi again, and shortly after his reconversion he became one with the Force." Dorshe' smiled. "So as you now know. Skywalker was born of the Light, and only died to become one with the Force." "Allowing Generations of Skywalkers and Jedi alike to rebuild the Order and serve as an example of the Force's true power." Grem smirked also. The projection of the Sith woman remained still, as if the projector had froze up on the transmission. Her shaded face covered by the darkness casted by her low cloak, gave no other expression but rage. Then she spoke, "Your lies will not save you now Jedi, welcome to your new home. From this moment on you will either serve me or die." Grem's voice snarled like that of his peoples ancestors. "In the immortal words of Luke Skywalker." His eyes started to glow with virtue. ".Never!" "Well then young Jedi, as of this time tomorrow, you will finally be one with your precious Force! But you master Oden." Dorshe' was caught off guard by the Sith's calm voice. ".we will require your services in the future." "I would rather be executed with my fellow Jedi." She stood closer to add support for Venad. "Oh no Master Oden not yet! You have something we need." the Dark master pointed to Dorshe' stomach a horrible sensation of terror then washed over the slender woman as she realized what the Sith truly meant! ".Your child will make a great asset to the Sith. Indeed will be a powerful warrior." Dorshe' could not collect her words enough to speak as the Sith looked down at an invisible object to read off the vital information before she concluded. "Yes indeed.I have just been informed by your ships commander that there is a small ship heading for in your direction. No doubt it's some foolish Jedi attempting an even more foolish rescue." Yoda! Dorshe' spited her friend's name in her mind. "Well then, you may quell your fears Master Oden, it appears that your hideous reptilian companion will not perish alone after all." Her villainous smile grew in an inexplicably inhuman manner. "Farewell Jedi!" the artificial phantom vanished. Grem looked to Master Oden, not needing to sense her distress as it was evident through her body language. "It will not come to that Master Oden!" She took strength from the Force before she returned her focus to the vurk. "No Grem, It won't! The Force will not allow it!" She had to be strong now, Dorshe' would not fall to the Darkside, never. "Who is it that the Sith said were coming here?" Dorshe' smirked at Grem's naïve comment not remembering that he hadn't known Yoda as Long as she had. "Master Skywalker! only he would do something so stupid, knowing him he is probably out there right now threatening to blast this entire ship into nothing with his rust-bucket of a corvette." He placed a three fingered hand over his face. "Well at least we won't be alone much longer." Master Oden, could sense something soothing her spirit. It came to her through the Force, but not from the Force. She was stunned as she glanced down, to her abdomen. Grem felt it too as he was now glancing at Dorshe's stomach, innocence pure and good, and strong in the Force, the Lightside of the Force. "We aren't alone Grem." She could not yield her joy, even despite their situation.  
  
The Millennium Falcon had unintentionally fallen out of hyperspace. Chevacca gave no verbal response, rather a smug roar to this obvious malfunction on the part of the dilapidated ship's behalf. Skywalker frantically at the controls analyzing what has happened to the engines finds no damage, leading to more confusion. Yoda turned his seat to the disgruntled Wookiee. "For once Chevacca it's not the Falcon who is to blame here. We didn't fall from hyperspace we were taken from it." Chevacca reached further into the Force, Yoda was right. "What could cause such a thing?" His paws flowing over the nav. console trying to activate the deflector shields to no success. Yoda gave up with the readout, and decided it would be easier to simply look out the main port. He didn't like what he saw. "That!" he pointed up. A large dark vessel, reminiscent of a massive solid flying beast closed in on the Millennium Falcon, then it unleashed a tractor beam over the corvette, pulling it closer and closer into the belly of the beast's hanger bay. "Looks like the Hyperdrive is the least of our troubles now?" Chevacca shot his friend a glance. "It is most likely a Sith battleship, and I believe they have been expecting us." Yoda could feel the same thing he did, the hate and anger coming from that ship was larger than its hull, it had to be a Sith vessel. "If that's true then why haven't they destroyed us? If we can sense them, then they can most certainly sense us too." But Yoda and Chevacca could sense something the Sith didn't, and for some reason knowing only of the force, they knew they had to be captured. Slowly the Falcon was guided into the bay opening underneath the ship's main hull, once there the ship's landing protocols took over as it set down inside the landing deck. It was reflective, almost like a great dark mirror as oppose to floor paneling. Then as the bay doors closed, a thousand Sith-soldiers marched onto the deck. Yoda stood up facing the nearest exit, "Lets' go meet our adoring public shall we?" Chevacca shook his head to spite his friend's unnecessary humor and followed as Skywalker made his way out of the cockpit. The Falcon's access ramp descended to be greeted by the wave of black clad soldiers, all of which were mounted with the finest of pulse rifles. A well built man with black slicked hair, dressed in what appeared to be a more high ranking formal uniform walked up to the Jedi masters. The large man paced around the two Jedi, examining them from head to toe. He snatched their lightsabres from their belts like a boy who had waited all year for a single present. He placed the sabres in his firm grip. "Take them to the cell with the others!" he ordered. Others? Yoda contained his words, so as to confine his confusion. A small squad of soldiers surrounded the Jedi pinning them with their reflective body shells they forced Masters Skywalker and Chevacca to move in their direction. One of the guards hit Chevacca with his rifle. "Move it Wookiee!" Chevacca responded with a "ROAR!" then proceeded on, leaving the trooper to literally piss his pants. One of the soldiers noticed his associate lagging behind. "Rodney keep up with formation!" He waddled up onto his assigned position, as the security team herded the Jedi through a long brightly lit hall. Yoda entered Chevacca's mind. What do you think they meant by 'the others'? I assume it means we will not be alone in our imprisonment. He returned. Maybe they can help us find way out of here? That's if they are friendly? Chevacca responded being the never ending pessimist that he can be in times of distress. The troops led the captured Jedi into a dark room, there they pinned the two into what appeared to be a painted square on the floor, the troopers backed away from Yoda and Chevacca, leaving the two alone inside the invisible barrier. Then one of the soldiers spoke. "Drop'em!" this sent surprise through the Jedi's as they did not know what the man implied, until the floor beneath them parted and they fell down, into another dark room. Dorshe' and Grem could feel the Force telling them to move. "Grem catch them!" together the Venad and Oden used their powers to ease the descent of Yoda and Chevacca. Grem managed to lead the Wookiee onto his feet, while Dorshe' simply let Skywalker float immobile so Dorshe' could confront her bearded friend on his stupid decision. "Hi Dorshe'!" he smirked sarcastically sensing the Orveasian's displeasure, then took awareness of her old smugglers disguise. "You look nice?" She returned his attempt of amusing her, by letting go of the Force's hold on Yoda's body, and he fell face first into the flooring below, only seriously damaging his self-esteem as oppose to his body. She crossed her arms again. "You Yoda Skywalker have reached a new plain of idiocy!" She spitefully remarked at the well toned man before her boots. Grem and Chevacca watched the show from the sidelines. "Well it's good to see you to my friend!" He lifted himself from the steel ground and stood up right, brushing his uniform off while doing so and taking notice of the laser walled cell that he and the Wookiee had fallen into. "How did you end up here? And what possessed you to drag Chevacca along with you?" her hands now placed squarely on her hips. "Chevacca volunteered to join me." "Only to protect him from that flying death trap he calls a Ship!" Chevacca made clear without entering the feud himself. ".We were on our way to assist the fleet in the War effort then this ship pulled us out of Hyperspace and imprisoned us with you, but if I knew I was going to be trapped here only to have my confidence lowered farther below Hoth's temperature, then I might have requested the guards to shoot me when they first arrested us!" his voice rose, then fell after he saw the looks on Dorshe' and Grem's faces. The young vurk broke the abrupt silence. "If you stick around long enough, they will do 'Just' that Master Skywalker!" Chevacca and Yoda turned their eyes onto Grem. "I fear the tone I sense when you say that Knight!" Venad sighed as he explained his motivation. "The Sith have sentenced me to be executed tomorrow, and now that you are here Master Chevacca it is very likely that you and Master Skywalker will be there to share in my sentence." Yoda was once again befuddled with information. "Us? But what of Dorshe'?" The Jedi could sense her pain, but this time she refused to succumb to its emotional state, rather refocus her energy to finding a way to escape, but she couldn't deny her self to answer her friends. "They won't dispose of me until my child is born, they wish for him to serve in their Dark army." Yoda was in shock, The Sith had gone to a far. He looked to Chevacca who was lending a hand to Grem's shoulder, the Wookiee knew what he was going to say next and it wasn't going to make matters any better. "Well we won't let that happen again." Now Dorshe' and Grem were confused, he could read their reactions and answered before they could even ask a question. "A Sith spy managed to sneak into the Temple and." Yoda bowed his head, in a remaining sign of his disbelief. ".they he stole one of the clones, and now there is no telling what will happen to it." "Well I don't know about you gentlemen?" Dorshe' cupped Yoda's hand in her own two, giving him her now endless strength emerging from within her body. "But I'm not going to sit back and let the Sith have their evil ways anymore and I' am certainly not going to wait in this Force forsaken place while my friends are going to be killed. If we are going to escape we are going to do it soon, and if we do get killed. I'd rather us die together." The other three Jedi, even without being in this current situation, were overcome with pride and Skywalker's confidence returned in time for him to ask. "So tell Me Master Oden! How do you suppose we escape?" he pulled out a small laugh. "We will have to spend what little time we have, and meditate." Grem slapped his forehead once again. ".hopefully the force will give us an answer to this problem." 


	17. CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 17  
  
The Millennium Falcon had been sitting in the empty hanger of the Sith battleship for the past three hours since the ship and it's passengers were captured. Well not all of her passengers at least! "I don't know how you talked me into this?" C-3PO expelled in the dark, confining space he and R2 were hiding in. "To think that after all we have been through in our years of uncountable experiences." R2 kept an active sensor sweep to make sure the coast was clear before they could get out of the Falcon's secret hatches underneath the flooring of the corridors, complements of the great late Han Solo. ".that you still managed to drag me along this fool hearty attempt to join Master Skywalker on his mission. When he finds out that we're here he will." "Wheep!" R2 alerted his friend to the motion he detected above them. The footsteps of the Sith scientific analysis team, echoed through the bulkheads as they made their way off the enemy ship. The droids could hear small talk through the paneling above them. "What were those two Jedi thinking about when they decided to take this old heap into battle?" one of the voices said. "I don't know, I was under the impression that they were smart enough t." the conversation began to disappear as they two men finally exited the ship. The droids waited a minute then R2 broke the tense silence. "Peebroo!" "Are you sure?" 3-PO whispered. The astromech gave a confirming whistle. "Well if you say there isn't anyone onboard.." The tall droid pushed the hatch up, then slid it over letting the Falcon's internal lights, spill into the secret compartment in which the bots hid. ".there doesn't appear to be anyone here." R2 held up with being cooped up in his hiding space, released his small booster rockets from the sides of his two main legs ignited the small engines with a quick enough burst to hop his shell into the access corridor. 3-PO preferred to simply rely on the small ramp that carried him down into that infernal hole in the first place. The golden robot slowly made his way upright forcing R2 to wait for him. "Alright lead the way! Let's see what kind of a death trap you've thrown us into this time!" the unenthusiastic 3PO proclaimed as the blue and white astromech began to wheel his way off the Falcon, relying on his 'Gut' instinct that there wouldn't be any trouble meeting him at the end of the exit ramp. Not surprising to the intuitive droid, the hanger deck was void of all life signs. 3PO eventually caught up with the slightly faster R2-D2, then took notice of the somewhat familiar looking surroundings, thinking back to his ordeal a couple millennia ago onboard the first Deathstar completely oblivious to the fact that he was now on an enemy Vessel. "Well it seems that the Jedi shipyards have borrowed retro- designs from the old Imperial Fleet." R2 gave little focus to his friend's observation he just headed for the nearest corridor, and headed for it in search of their Master. "R2 where are you going?" 3PO said not giving a care for those who might hear him as the astromech sped away in the other direction. "R2-D2 you wait for me this instant!" He waddled hastily after the silver domed droid, R2 then made his way up to a smaller corridor adjacent to the main hall he just entered, which according to his scans would lead him to the closest computer interface terminal. 3PO finally caught up with R2. "Now where do you think your going you conglomerate of rusty bolts? I don't care if you are Master Yoda's personal astromech, if the Jedi officers onboard this ship find you roaming into unauthorized rooms they might." R2 interrupted the bantering droid, informing him of where they actually were, not on a Jedi vessel in his binary code of noises as he reached a sealed hatch. "What?" 3PO gasped. "You mean we are on an enemy ship. Oh my dear! And just what do you think your doing?" The astromech leaned his torso closer to a small maintenance consol then latched his interface fork into the hatch control panel ignoring 3PO's voice. "What if there are people on the other side of this door? How do you think they will react if they see to unknown droids just walk into their presence?" The doors then hissed open to cause 3PO to jump back only to find that no one was there at all, just like it was when R2 made his first scanner sweep. The blue droid then rolled into the computer console decorated room, as 3PO hopped in behind him in fear of being seen. The hatch resealed shut when the protocol droid, moved over to R2 who was now interfacing with a computer console. "R2-D2 you remove your circuits from that computer this instant! I don's give a flying Bantha what you think your doing but if the enemy finds us they are goin..." R2 gave his explanation for the actions he was taking. "Reeep whoop peboo." He expelled as he tapped into the internal sensor pallets of the Sith battleship. "They are where?" R2 repeated his last statement in a tone of somewhat annoyance that anyone would understand, spite his binary speech patterns. "A few decks below?" R2 continued. "What do you mean Master Oden and that Venad chap are with them? Why would they be here on a Sith vessel?" R2 shook his dome in frustration, as he made it clear to 3PO. "They're being held in a cell? Well stop wasting time and get them out of there!" 3PO now began to take charge of the situation as R2 rolled his one main eye. It was quite apparent that after all these years of being thrown into the mix of danger C-3PO had finally downloaded a 'Backbone'. R2 replied, implying that he was already doing such. "Well work faster and while your at that! See what you can do about securing this area so we don't confront any resistance." R2 was working his best he would have to work quickly before the ship's crew noticed something strange was happening aboard their ship, no big task for the little veteran adventurer. 3PO desperately searched for a comm. system of some sort, so he might contact Master Skywalker and inform him of his and R2's plan. "Ah!" he exclaimed. "here we are." He typed the into panel's controls, searching the computer for the location of the cell Master Skywalker and the other Jedi were being held in while R2 continued to do his work. Spending all his time at the Jedi temple organizing files into the Library archives helped the golden machine to hone his skill with computer systems himself as he masked his search through the ships computer so as not to be detected. "There they are! Level five, sub corridor-B, cell-hold nine!" 3PO then typed in a secure transmission to the cell. The Jedi were sitting in their individual meditative positions when the awkward but familiar voice filled the room. "Um-hello?" the Jedi lost their ability to focus on the Force as they jumped to their feet at the sound of the droid's transmission. "Master Skywalker, are you there Sir?" "3PO!" Yoda responded. "Oh thank the Maker! Sir, I found you!" he cheered, via the cells comm. transceivers. "3PO! How are you transmitting this?" The human questioned. "Well you see Master Yoda, R2 wanted to join you on your task to help assist the Fleet, so he managed to drag me along and practically forced me into hiding aboard the Millennium Falcon. And when he discovered that you had been captured we sort of broke into the computer and the." "Wait!" Dorshe' interrupted the over verbal bot. "3PO where are you and R2 now?" "We are in the shuttle Bay control room I believe?" he replied, creating joy to fill into the Jedis hearts, especially that of Master Oden. "R2 is currently attempting to access the ships main computer, I'm not sure what he is planning, but he says it's going to work? I'm not really sure what he means by that?" Yoda made his voice clear in its speech, as if he were talking to his daughter when she wasn't paying attention to him. "Now 3PO! Do you know if there is anyway for R2 to tap into the systems on this deck and shut off the shields in our cell?" "R2?" the droid turned to the astromech as he replied to what Master Skywalker said. "Sorry sir, he is unable to do such." R2's voice echoed in the background of the transmission. "But he can shut off all the power on that deck." "That'll do fine 3PO, do that then meet us by the Falcon." Yoda was cut off by Dorshe once again. "Wait 3PO!" she shouted. "Can R2 find out if there is any where on this ship were the Sith might be holding children?" "Why yes I discovered such as I was attempting to locate you. There is a room that seemed to be holding small life signs on Level six, sub corridor-C, in a heavily guarded room close to the hanger bay." He concluded. Dorshe' turned to Yoda "We need to free those children." "Your right." He turned to Grem and Chevacca, calmly awaiting their orders. "Chevacca you and Grem head towards the Falcon while I and Dorshe' retrieve the children. Activate the weapons before you prep the engines, as soon as the power goes the Sith are going to expect foul play." "Understood." Chevacca answered as Grem gave a simple nod of his compliance. Yoda returned his attention to the source of 3PO's voice. "3PO, find out where this ship is heading and send those coordinates to Master Amtlar on the Virtuous, and inform him of our situation." "Yes Master Skywalker." "How many guards are on this deck?" Grem finally asked. "There are two guards out side your cell, and three more personnel repairing a disabled ion conduct." 3PO responded. "Good." The blue reptile smirked. Chevacca sensed the young knight's remark. "If you have an Idea, by all means share it with the rest of us Venad." The Wookiee mentioned with his brown eyes peering into Grem's. "I might." Rather than waste time explaining it, he gave his thoughts to the three Jedi Masters. Yoda smiled. "I like it!" "Pardon me Sir" 3PO queried. "Never mind it 3PO. You have your orders now cut the Power." "Yes sir!"  
  
C-3PO turned to R2-D2. "R2 cut the power!" the astromech immediately interfaced with the power management systems and deactivated the flow of energy to the prison level.  
  
The shield walls dissipated from around the four Jedi, they soon made a run for the room's entry hatch as the emergency lighting system came on. The double doors now inactive due to the loss of power, were literally Forced open by Chevacca, as the other three ahead of him made a roll out into the center of the hall, propping their bodies back-to-back then unleashing a great gust of force energy. Dazing the guards and other crew members in proximity, as Chevacca grabbed their rifles, and handheld pistols tossing each one of the four to his associates. "Good 'Plan' Grem." Dorshe' grinned to the pointy headed vurk as she cocked the barrel of her pulse rifle while the pulsing red lights periodically lit their faces. She then turned to Yoda. ".let's go!" and the two groups made way for their assigned destinations only relying on the force to guide them.  
  
Mean while on the bridge of the Sith vessel, Darth Lulet sitting in his command chair notices a flashing panel, emitting a red light from the engineering console. He turns to one of his subordinates, pointing at the console with his scared hand, now wrapped in bacta patches. "Lieutenant Doren." the Bonthan turned his chair to face Lulet. ".Where is Commander Mukess, and why is he not manning his station?" "Mukess is in Main Engineering adjusting the central computer servos as you. ordered him to Master." Lulet gave himself a look of idiocy. "Yes I did." he mumbled in a display showing this wasn't his day. ".Well then Lieutenant! The engineering console requires attention at this moment so if you will please." Lulet sneered as he pointed to the source of the flashing light. The furry Sith officer, arose from his seat and paced his way to the station in question. Mukess bent his body over the console seeing no purpose in sitting in the chair next to it, as he would only need to be at it for a moment. He then tapped the blinking panel with his immense paw. He skimmed over the readout then his eyes grew with shock as he reported its assessment the Sith Lord. "Master Lulet, we have lost all power on Deck five!" Lulet jumped from his seat. "The Jedi!" he roared as the vessel exited Hyperspace into the Umgul system. Greeted by the glorious sight of the battle ready Sith fleet headed by the Slave twelve on it's main viewer. He turned his raging voice to the communications officer "Order all of our forces to hunt down and kill those Jedi! At once!" The Neimoidian officer, frantically worked over the console without success. "Sir all my controls are locked" Lulet's anger grew unsuppressed. Mukess spoke, not taking sight of his master's facial expression and only adding to his grimace. "Someone has planted a security lock on all of our main systems." The Lieutenant looked at Lulet, not needing to sense the darkness he was now experiencing. "We have no control over the ship sir!" the tattooed man gave no response he simply stared off into space, with immeasurable hate building inside him. ".Sir?...Master Lulet?"." at that moment Darth Lulet raised his hand toward Mukess, focusing his hatred to grasp around the bonthan's thick neck. ".Gahk.ahg.'cough'." Mukess desperately tried to pull the invisible hands away from his throat, but the loss of blood to his skull gave into the subconscious tendency. Just a moment later the projection screen of the main viewport came to life displaying the face of Jiles Oiket aboard the Slave twelve's bridge. "Darth Lulet!" Jiles said in a tone of utter disgust at Lulet's supposed lack of effectiveness in his duties of commanding a ship. "Why has your ship yet to join in the fleet's formation?" Lulet released his hold on Mukess's neck causing the beast like man to fall to his knees as he inhaled for air in an inhumanly wheezy noise. "That is because we no longer have control over this ship Darth Sadist!" he remarked to the screen. "The Jedi prisoners we reported earlier have somehow managed to escape from their cell and have locked us out of the ship's computer." Now Jiles was the one with the less than pleased expression. "Well then don't just stand there. Get them!" "I have no way to contact my crew beyond the bridge wh." Jiles was not taking excuses. "Then go after them yourself Lulet! You can handle two escaped Jedi!" "It's not just Oden and that reptile anymore Sadist, Masters Chevacca and Skywalker of the high council are with them!" "Skywalker?" Jiles needed no further explanation from Lulet. "Find the Jedi! I don't care what you have to do but what ever it is make sure they don't leave your vessel and don't kill Skywalker I wish to finish him myself!" "As you wish Darth Sadist!" Lulet raised a beaten limb to his heart. "For the Master!" Jiles returned the gesture. "For the Master" and the transmission was extinguished. Lulet then turned to his personal guards standing behind him. "Follow me!" then the tattooed man led his loyal men to the exit hatch of the bridge to face the Jedi and play their parts in the Darkside's scheme. "I'll show those Jedi the true power of the Darkside!" and the three black cloaked beings glided down the dark hall as the hatch sealed behind them.  
  
With the Virtuous heading away, the Jedi Fleet was piercing through hyperspace at a great pace. At this rate the taskforce would be within the border of the unknown territory in under the hour, that is why the Virtuous not received its latest transmission. "Master Amtlar we are receiving a message!" Master Jhellows stated to the Bridge as she observed over the comm. station. "From who Master Jhellows?" the scruffy voiced Mon Calamari inquired. "I'm not sure the message appears to be transmitted on a secure Jedi frequency but it's originating from in the Umgul system." This caused the fish headed Jedi to fall nothing short of confused, but still calm. "I was not aware that any of our ships were assigned to the Umgul sector?" "There shouldn't be, that system has been abandoned for almost a hundred years now." "What does the transmission say then?" he announced, leading T'sa to tap the communications panel as she rolled her eyes to herself for not opening the message in the first place. The small readout displayed itself as the shorthaired woman began to read its text, summarizing the gist of it to save the time of reading it all aloud. She was shocked to find out what it read, but was still firmly composed in her emotions. "It's from R2-D2." the bridge personnel lost attention of their duties as the corellian continued. ".He reports that he, his counter part C-3PO, Masters Skywalker, Oden Chevacca and Noble Venad are aboard a Sith battlecruiser." She paused letting the realization sit with the rest of the Bridge crew including its captain then continued. "That very ship is part of the enemy fleet amassing near orbit of the sixth planet in Umgul." Amtlar responded to the news immediately. "Send a Hail to our ships, tell them to put ready their vessel's for battle then turnaround and set course to Umgul at maximum speed! We have found the Sith fleet." The Crew then returned to their duties not wasting another precise moment. "And may the Force be with us!" 


	18. CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 18  
  
Yoda and Dorshe' were running as fast as the Force could let them as they zipped through the corridors of the Sith ship at blinding speed. Only taking time to fend off what ever opposition they encountered. A small squadron of troopers in one hall, a few defense droids down the next and now another group of soldiers guarded the very room for which they had traveled. "They're they are!" one armored man pointed as Skywalker and Oden came to an abrupt halt. "Fire!" another added as the two Jedi ducked for cover behind two well placed alcoves on either side of the hall. Avoiding every shot that flew was aimed for them. Once he saw an opening in the barrage of flying green beams that passed him. "This has got to be where they're holding the children!" Yoda leaned his body over the alcove and fired his pistol wildly, not in a futile attempt to strike down the Sith soldiers, but instead gather a better idea of how many men there are trying to kill them. After a second the blue eyed Jedi returned his torso to his impromptu shield. "I count eleven: four to the left and seven to the right!" he stated loudly enough for Dorshe' to here over the pulse fire that separated their proximity to each other. The Orveasian gave a nod of compliance to her friend's observation as she positioned the pulse rifle in her hands to waist height and took a small step out of her own alcove then sent off a furious blaze of green pulse fire. Causing many of the guards protecting the rectangular square door, either hitting the floor for cover or because they were too injured from the one woman assault team. After firing thirty or so powerful blasts Dorshe' returned to her cover as the remaining troopers began to retaliate. "Make that five: two on the left and three to the right." Yoda wasn't surprised by Dorshe's feat having known her far to long to be surprised by her brash but decisive actions. "Less than enough for us to take yes?" She smirked. Skywalker gave her a devious smile that was unmistakably his. "On three." they waited for another opening in the pulse fire ".Three!" the two Jedi pounced from their cover as they charged down the hall firing a lethal counterattack of pulse fire while also trying to avoid the oncoming blast at the same time. Yoda took the lead as Master Oden followed providing cover fire taking out three more soldiers in the process leaving the last two for Skywalker to handle. Yoda couldn't find a clear shot as he closed the distance between him and the two troopers, so he called upon the Force to assist him as he made a great leap over the two black armored men. Twisting and gyrating to distract the troopers while Dorshe' snuck behind them. Then as Skywalker made his landing and before they could take that moment to fire. Master Oden swung the hilt of her rifle with a single swipe into the helmets of the soldiers, causing pieces of their armor to chip as their bodies fell to the floor. Yoda bent down and grabbed a pulse rifle from the unconscious men, taking this opportunity to wield a more powerful weapon. Dorshe' rushed to the door control panel adjacent to the entry hatch of the room the soldiers were trying to protect. "We need the security code." Yoda bent down once more, removing the helmet of a fallen trooper with one hand while his rifle was still held firmly in the other. The Master Jedi tossed the head piece across the shiny metal floor as he placed his bare hand on the soldier's forehead, tapping into his slumbering mind using the powers of the Force to find the knowledge he needed. When he found the codes Yoda turned to Dorshe'. "Beta-Six-G-Nine-Zeta-Seven-Seven." He then rose to his feet as Master Oden typed in the corresponding digits in the control panel. Once completed, the door hissed then came to a gradual parting that allowed easy access into the room full of thirty-three children, mostly human but some of varying species and creeds from across the galaxy. They were frightened the two Jedi could sense their fear. Each one had not seen the families that they were stolen from since their abductions. They couldn't help but be scared the oldest of the children could not be more than eight maybe nine years old and now these two new, unfamiliar looking people come rushing into their room carrying massive guns which only made their innocent fears rise. "It's alright children." Dorshe' used the Force through her voice to calm their uneasy nerves ".we are here to take you back to your families." The tiny beings began to ease in their distress. Somehow they knew these people would not hurt them, and that they are good people. "Now come with us to our ship." They all began to stand, some of them carrying each other due to their small legs that would not keep up with the faster children. "Quickly now follow Master Skywalker." She ushered as Yoda led the group of young ones to the Hanger, praying to the Force that there would be no opposition, and that Grem and Chevacca made it the Falcon alright.  
  
Chevacca and Grem were running as fast as the Force could have propelled them to avoid the incoming onslaught of defense droids and Sith troopers that were following them. Small bursts of red and green pulse fire darted past their bodies making it harder for the Jedi to focus on their increased strength through the Force and the increasing danger that had found it's way to them. As the two made their way around a passage they noticed the large opening that displayed the Millennium Falcon. Their salvation was awaiting them along with the familiar R2-D2 and his associate C-3PO holding their position waiting for everyone to hop onto the ship's rustic access ramp. "Hurry" Chevacca growled as they began to run with even greater speed. Once passed the entrance of the hanger deck R2 popped his small transceiver antennae from the top of his silver dome, which he used to close the blast doors behind the Jedi. This caused Master Chevacca and Venad to come to a halt in their footsteps, as they became surprised by the droid's power. After blankly staring at the sealed hatch, then at each other and finally at the small astromech next to the golden protocol droid, "I was unaware that you were capable of wielding the Force R2?" "He didn't use the Force Master Chevacca." 3PO interrupted. "R2 simply locked out all the controls to this vessel and implanted a subroutine that gave him complete remote access to its main computer." He babbled. "In all essence.R2 is this ship." "Beep booo" Grem could have sworn he saw a smirk on R2's expressionless face. "Wheet tooom beeop!" he expelled as the two Jedi turned to 3PO for an explanation. "He says that the blast doors won't hold them back for long and Master Skywalker and Master Oden are on their way here, but they have company." Two small compartments opened on top of R2's head as two cylindrical objects began to rise out from them. ".R2 believes you will be more comfortable with these at your disposal." Chevacca was pleased to see the lightsabres that the droid kept in his head as the wookiee dropped his pistol and grabbed both hilts and tossed one of them to Grem. The vurk caught the device in his hand as soon as he let go of his rifle then ignited its green blade and Chevacca his blue blade. They both were satisfied with the sabres and then stood in their own unique ready stances towards the open hall opposite to the one that was already closed hearing the echoing footsteps of an unseen group but they were clamed to sense that it was only the presences of Masters Skywalker and Oden, and many more beings. They did not know who they had to belong but there was no denying the innocent fear of youth that came hurrying its way to them. Chevacca could also sense something else getting close to their position something darker. Chevacca turned to face the two droids on the Falcon's ramp. "3PO! Get inside the ship, prep the weapons then start the pre-launch sequence and ready the Falcon to take on passengers!" R2 rolled off the slope and next to his friend Grem with his laser emitters armed. "As you order Master Chevacca!" and 3PO waddled behind himself into the vessel. At that moment an ensemble of youths followed by the heavily armed Dorshe' and Yoda came scampering into the Hanger bay. "There children that's the ship now hurry!" Yoda shouted sensing the incoming danger drawing ever so closely to them. Grem relieved him self of his position next to R2 to oversee the children's entrance into the Falcon. "This way!" The blue skinned vurk waved his free hand up the ship's entrance ramp. Skywalker then threw his rifle to the ground as he approached R2 knowing he carried the spare sabres Skywalker placed in the droids care some three years ago. "R2 the sabres!" the droid gave his master the last remaining of the three lightsabres, realizing that Chevacca and Grem had the other two blades, leaving him with the last and Dorshe' to wield her rifle. "Dorshe." "I'll be fine Yoda!" she said in a determined tone as she picked up Skywalker's discarded weapon now wielding two rifles she was more than ready to provide cover fire once more. That's when the Jedi sensed darkness coming closer, he then wasted no time activating the green energy shaft of his spare sabre as the last of the children were finally onboard the ship. Just then, three dark robed men walked into the hanger via the one open corridor, two being led behind their superior in a triangular formation. The Jedis muscle's tightened, waiting the Sith to unleash their own lightsabres. The Dark warriors stopped their approach short of the completely entering the spacious room. As the tension rose as the Bay doors began to open, exposing the stars outside the ship. This left the Jedi with nothing less than confusion. "R2?" Grem said not taking his eyes off the enemy. "Please tell me you opened the bay doors." The droid gave a whistled response that could only mean 'no'. The Jedi could sense the evil still decreasing its distance from them, despite the obvious presence of three men ready to pounce on them at any moment but they were expecting this person. It was the only explanation for why the Sith have yet to attack.  
  
Meanwhile, onboard the Millennium Falcon C-3PO had his hands full trying his best to keep the children calm as he led them into the ship's main lounge. "Now children I will require you all to remain in this room until it is safe for us to take off do you understand?" the young ones gave no response but the fear that they expressed on their faces. "Don't worry my Master and his friends will let no harm come to you!" he commented. This didn't help them feel better but some of them knew he was honest in his statement. 3PO had to comply with his orders the children were secure and now he had to start the weapons or they might not have a fighting chance against the hoard of soldiers about burst through that sealed metal door. The protocol droid made his way into the cockpit and stood before the main control panel. Trying to remember how to activate the necessary systems "If my memory banks serve me correctly." he hovered his steel hands over the blinking panels. ".the weapons panel." his sensor spheres fell onto the pulse cannon array console. ".this one!" he pressed the fire button causing all of the Falcons pulse emitters to fire their destructive graviton blasts into multiple directions. Giving little time for the Jedi and the Sith to act on their reflexes and leap away from several of the beams but also allowing a few pulses to destroy the door that contained the Dark troopers and subsequently killing most if not seriously injuring them in that process. "Oh my stars!" the droid expelled trying to yield the cannons before he could cause more needless destruction.  
  
This was a double edged sword in the heroes' sides. With the main access door destroyed, it would only make it easier for the next squadron of soldiers to ambush Master Skywalker and the others. Which meant they had to make quick work of the Sith. That's when the darker presence finally made its self evident as a small shuttle entered in through the large opening which opened out into the stars. The dark vessel hovered around the Falcon for a moment, keeping the four Jedi on their heels as the ship came to a gradual landing on the far side of the hander not far from the stone faced Sith that were awaiting it, the minutes of anxious anticipation few by like minutes to the concerned Jedi. 'What could be so important that would keep Sith at bay like this for so long?' Grem questioned with his mind's voice to his battle ready companions. Chevacca responded through the telepathic bond. 'Not what Noble Venad but rather who?' this caused Grem to firm his grasp on his sabre, calling upon the Force to calm his spirit. Dorshe' injected into the conversation. 'I know who it is.' She kept her rifles aimed at the shuttle as its side hatches began to hiss open. 'Brace yourselves!' Grem held his lasersword sharply in front of him in a guard position as did Yoda and Chevacca. The shuttle carried another black robed man, but he was more forward to let down his cowl and reveal himself than his fellow Sith. Jiles gave an evil eminent grimace as his hood fell past his shoulders. The Jedis recognized him immediately but remained firm in their stances not letting Oiket's presence affect them. "It's good to see you again my 'friends'!" he projected across the wide echoing room. "I do hope that my associate Darth Lulet and his underlings have given you pleasant accommodations here!" "Cut it with the games!" Skywalker returned in a neutral tone the almost breached into spite, only leading for Jiles's smirk to grow more with a twisted evil seeping from it. "I apologize to you Master Skywalker I didn't mean to be offensive, just polite." "If you truly were a man of etiquette you would have introduced yourself by now!" Yoda humored him still focusing on holding back his emotions toward Jiles. "Even despite our recent encounter." Oiket laughed as he strolled next to his Sith companions. "Ah yes! I do recall our little skirmish on Kamino such a lovely world. A true testament to what happens to people who don't accept the Darkside of the Force as their protector." His glare intensified into Yoda's eyes. "And how could you forget my small visit to the Temple!" Chevacca took a step forward at the Sith's arrogance. "What have you done with the Clone you beast!" he snared into the dark minds across from him. "You call me a beast Wookiee? Have you taken a look at yourself? Bretew was right about you! Always a disciple to the hypocrisies of the Jedi, I guess that applies to everything else then doesn't it?" The natural Wookiee warrior in Chevacca's blood had the relentless desire to go over there and rip off Oiket's arms with his bare claws. Thankfully his Jedi training kept him from making such rash actions. "As for the matter of 'our' clone you can be rest assured that no harm will come to him." Dorshe' cut off the foolish banter. "When has a Sith ever 'not meant harm' to anything?" keeping her eyes and the barrels of her guns locked on Jiles as he diverted his attention to the heavy artillery wielding orveasian. "We don't 'harm' our own kind Master Oden." His pale face grew an expression of epiphany. "Oden!" he reached deeper into his cloak. "I believe I have something that is inheritably yours." He pulled out a lightsabre and threw it over to Dorshe'. Her hands already full occupied with the two pulse rifles, she used the Force to levitate the hilt before her eyes. Then it hit her, this sabre belonged to her beloved, it was Pacres's lightsabre. She was without words at the sight of the weapon as pain crept into her heart causing her to drop the rifles and snatch at the sabre, cradling it close to her body as it was a treasured memento. This made the other Jedi and especially R2- D2 to look on at the woman with confusion. Dorshe' fought the tears that swelled in her eyes not letting the Sith gain any joy from seeing her in pain. "Your husband was not very forth coming to our questions when we captured him." Jiles remarked as the realization hit the other Jedi's faces making them set their feet deeper into the hard surface below them. "He left us with no choice." He removed his robes completely revealing his clad leather jumpsuit. "Just as you leave me no choice now." Darth Lulet and his followers discarded their cloaks the human males were virtually identical in appearance with matching uniforms that set them slightly apart from the two Darths. They waited for Darth Sadist to ignite his lightsabre before they did so as well, creating a crimson display of illuminating pillars that shrieked as a symbol of the Sith's unifying hatred. Master Oden wasted no more time with grief, now was the time for justice. She took her husband's sabre from the niche that was her chest, and held it firmly in her hands; one over the other then activated the device with her upper thumb extending the shimmering blue blade from its hilt. She then stepped forward, signifying her readiness for the Sith's challenge. That's when the Sith charged to the Jedi, with their sabres whaling in the air as they ran in a fit of rage, only to be halted by the loud alarms that began to go off in turn causing several large red lights to flash periodically. A voice came over the internal comm. array. "Warning! This is a Code Red Alert. A large fleet of Jedi ships are nearing our position. All crew members proceed to you battle stations at once!" The voice was drowned out by Jiles words. "This is your doing Jedi." He pointed with his weapon knowing that the Master would not be pleased to hear of this weakness on his behalf. "You will pay!" and he made a great leap aiming his lighting sword for a slice at Dorshe's head, she simply swiped his attempted with a single parry that sent him flying in the other direction. The other Sith quickly followed suit as they attacked the other Jedi with their rage engulfed sabre exchanges still unaware of their surroundings inside the hanger or outside the hull.  
  
"Now exiting Hyperspace Master Amtlar." Jhellows stated as she slowly controlled the Virtuous to slip back into normal space. The Battle fleet soon did the same giving the Virtuous the space it needs to head the taskforce as the ship slowly began to approach the enemy ensemble of black animal like ships. "Master Amtlar. I' am currently scanning over twenty unknown vessels in this system. Including what appears to be an old Imperial destroyer and all are in attack formation and have their weapons at the ready poimted in our direction." Amtlar knew this had to be the Sith fleet. "All except for one that has apparently shutdown near the enemy taskforce?" Baldos's voice filled the bridge. "Scan the vessel in question." He requested of the science officer located to his far right. The human Jedi obediently responded. "I can't detect any energy flow in the ship's main power core. It's currently running on reserves in one deck, and its computer systems have no obvious activity." His eyes focused more intensely as he continued to view the scanner readout. "I' am detecting a Jedi vessel in that ship's Hanger bay." he turned to his superior realizing what that vessel really was. ".Master it's the Millennium Falcon." 'So that's what happened to Skywalker!' the mon calamari thought as he tapped the console that opened a broadband channel to the Jedi fleet located conveniently on the arm of his command chair. "All ships we are now at battle ready status raise your shields and arm your weapons we are now engaging the enemy. But be mindful that one of the Sith battlecruiser is apparently malfunctioning.:" he calmed his voice. ".It has come to my attention that this vessel is carrying Master Skywalker and quite possibly other neutral parties onboard." His groggy voice intensified. ".here this! No ship in this fleet is permitted to attack this vessel unless given my direct order t do so. We must focus our forces on their heavy battleships and carriers first!" Baldos's body began to lean on the arm of his chair as he glared at the open view ports that encompassed most of the bridges walls, calling for the Force to bless this battle with the Jedi's success. Amtlar was unsettled to find that his ability to see into the Force was clouded. 'Most disturbing.' he thought. '.indeed darker powers are at work here! I only hope that Skywalker is alright!" 


	19. CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19  
  
The hanger deck was consumed by the sounds of clashing blades of energy. The Sith were so predictable to the Jedi, their attacks all had a single motivation, hatred, the most ancient of emotions and subsequently the most dangerous. Yoda and his cohorts were trained at the youngest of ages to always be aware of their emotions and especially to exercise great discipline in controlling those feelings which led to the dark path. This gave them the upper hand over the Sith, being observant of their own anger which guided every movement, allowed the Jedi to easily predict their strikes but did not make it easier to defeat the dark ones. Yoda bravely fended off against the young and troubled Lulet. The Sith warrior was relentless in his onslaught against the bearded Jedi master. He matched every parry, every swipe, every failed stab that Darth Lulet could muster thus far. Chevacca was well matched with his opponent as Skywalker could sense, he could tell that the wookiee was impressed by the man who seemingly matched his superior strength. Likewise that Grem was paired with a being that appeared to be a true equal to his own abilities making this task no easier for the young knight but then there was Dorshe'. She was facing the man who had admitted to killing her husband, her mate and by all rights stole part of her life. While every move she made with her lightsabre to Jiles was well thought and focused, Yoda couldn't help but sense the smallest twinge of vengeance course through her veins. 'Be mindful of your emotions Dorshe'!' Skywalker projected into her mind. 'You be mindful of your opponent Skywalker!' she returned in a some what uncharacteristic tone as the Lulet made a pass with his blade to Yoda's face. The Jedi quickly ducked his head barely escaping with all of his trim blonde locks intact as he slipped his green shaft into Lulet's leg. The Sith responded to this blow with a spiteful grunt, he then elbowed Skywalker in the back causing him to become slightly disoriented. Lulet took this opportunity to make a slash for the Jedi's midsection, but luckily for Yoda he still managed to hold up his blade in time to counter his attack. Skywalker then made a great leap over the Sith as he swung his lightsabre in an attempt to return Lulet's same move, but was denied as the leather clad being quickly defeated Yoda's strike with a pain fueled block by his own sabre. 'This isn't going to be easy!' Skywalker exhaled in the recesses of his mind.  
  
"This is not going to be easy!" Baldos mumbled as he tried his best to conjure an attack formation that would inflict as much damage as possible onto the Sith fleet while leaving the Jedi with as little possible loss that was deemed by the fates, but he knew he could not waste his time trying to assess the safest battle plan. Right now he needed the most efficient one. Master Amtlar moved his green primary claw to push the 'channel open' panel that gave him direct communication to the whole fleet. "All ships launch your fighter squadrons!"  
  
At that moment, all of the Aries-Z5 class Jedi fighters and Niclos-S9 class Jedi bombers were flying out of the confining niches embedded into their respective mother ships. All of the crafts assumed their near perfect formations with five fighters forming a 'V' around two bombers creating their battle ready taskforces. Amassing a giant sea of tiny silver and muted red specs numbering in the thousands, all mirroring the same standard attack positions as the black and grey streaking, Sith fighters that were now appearing from the bellies of the enemy battleships. Thousands against thousands, in the recent history of the New Republic no fleet this large has ever been assembled to confront an enemy. This was a sign; it was no longer going to be a battle of good and evil or a simple skirmish of warring nations, but instead a war of Jedi versus the Sith, the two most powerful opposing Forces in the universe.  
  
"Red through Yellow squadrons, form up for a passing maneuver, go in and lead as many of the enemy fighters as you can away from the battleship cover fire. All other squadrons take defensive positions over your mother-ships as soon as the Sith fighters come into range, attack at will!" he bowed his head once again, trying his hardest to break through the barrier placed over the Force, but had no luck, he needed to focus on the now. "Away!"  
  
"Now let's see if this one will work." 3PO said, as his shaky mechanical limbs began to randomly choose which button might initiate the pre-launch sequence. ".Oh." he sighed as he finally found what he thought to be the correct switch. ".I do hope this is the ignition panel." He pressed the brightly lit button next to the main pilot's console. That's when the Falcon's engines began to whine with life as more lights in the cockpit began to flash and blink with automated activity.  
  
The battle inside the Hanger of the Sith 'kidnapper-ship' was raging on with drowning sounds of four pairs of lightsabres clashing their thunderous poles of laser together. Chevacca now had his back against Yoda's, fearing that his opponent would leave no choice but to make Skywalker do something stupid, but the wookiee still had his paws full with his own combatant, the black slick haired man, who almost mirrored the look of Venad's own opponent became slightly less predictable with each passing moment. He could tell that Chevacca was reading his movements and gradually started to create dangerous strikes that Chevacca wouldn't dare step forward too. 'With all prayers to the Force I hope this will end soon!' he projected into the mind of Master Skywalker.  
  
Grem fought with valor as the Sith warrior exchanged every blow of his lightsabre with indubitable strength. The assailant was older than Venad, his simple human eyes were bloodshot with the most cryptic solid white eyes. His thick muscles seemed to have gotten slightly larger every time the Jedi had foiled one of his powerful strikes, a physical display of his aggression the vurk noted. If the opponent kept his body so tense, then he might burn himself out. That's when Grem had an idea. Between the parries of clashing blades, the vurk took advantage of his superior vision to find R2 sitting there near the Falcon's entry slope with his armed laser arrays, trying to frantically see if there were any way he could get help to better the Jedi in some way. The blue skinned Jedi, first locked his sabre with the Sith's then threw his voice over to the droid. "R2!" he yelled. The astromech then rotated his large shiny dome in the struggling vurk's direction. Grem could only hope that the droid would catch on to his plan not wanting this enemy to catch on. Grem released the block taking a step back as he swung his blue glowing shaft to the left expecting the Sith to willingly block it. Grem then made several other combinations at the human, a parry for his legs, a stab at his left arm then a swipe for his other arm. He was surprised to see that the Sith had great skill for the most basic of maneuvers, Grem had the perfect plan. He swung his blade for the Sith's shoulder which was defeated by the backhand swipe from the dark man's red laser staff. 'Good.' Venad thought as he dealt the Sith with another swipe, this time directed at his knee. '. good.' he restated in his head, taking a glance over his shoulder to see if R2 was still paying attention. The droid was still there. '.good!' Grem then slammed his blue shaft over his head and onto the Sith's predicable horizontal defense. "Now R2! Fire!" the droid did so as the powerful legs of Grem's species sprung him off the slick haired man's sabre, using the bound weapons to project his body out off harms way while R2 unleashed a furious bombardment of green laser bursts. The blasts from R2's offense were deflected by the Darkside adept reflexes. The first shot grazed the calf of his leg as Grem was twirling his body in the air doing his best to make a firm and well positioned landing. R2 was relentless as he fired his lasers, the Sith had become so preoccupied with the droid that he forgot about his Jedi opponent just long enough for Grem to plant his feet into the flooring behind the unexpecting villain. The Jedi knight pulled back at his sabre then, with a powerful yield of physical strength, pushed his blue blade in Sith's wide back sending the man's arms to swinging wide and to the sides in the pure shock of the act. R2 ceased his attack when the other end of the sword pierced through his chest, searing the dark cloth that made the Sith's leather uniform and scorching all of his innards that touched the azure shaft of light. Grem could feel the life escaping the dark warrior's shell, but did not yield his weapon from the Sith's body, just incase the dark one still had some fight in him. When the red laser-blade finally extinguished into the emitter of the solid black hilt, the cylindrical object hit the steel floor from the human's lifeless hands, Grem quickly released his lightsabre from the burnt hole of the dark man's corpse to stand in his conditioned ready poise. Just as he did this the Falcon's engines began to rev up with the sound of the multi-vector repulse compressors coming to life, that's when Grem realized he was horribly close to the emerse opening in the hanger that led out into the great expanse of space now cluttered with the tiny blurs of small red and black crafts exchanging pulse fire over a background he saw many large Jedi and Sith battle vessels spreading their own massive bursts that their arsenals could muster.  
  
Red squadron is the most elite of all the Jedi fighter squadrons, and even they were having a rough time counter attacking the Sith fighters. The plan had worked to distract the enemy fighters away from their mother ships but by the time the Jedi made their way back into the thick of their own fleet, the Jedi Battle cruisers were already directing the focus of their primary weapons on the Sith ensemble, their animal like offensive craft. Luckily what ever cover fire that the Jedi ships could provide for their fighters prevented any losses on their own people, but a few destroyed Sith squadrons didn't yield in their vicious efforts to kill the Jedi and with the help of Master Romdel now in charge of Red squadron, the Sith were really going to have pull out all their tricks to win. Saliv tapped the comm. switch on his left side display screen that activated his helmet's built in voice amplifier while he piloted his fighter with the joystick in his right hand. "Red-leader to Red-five!" he clearly stated as he maneuvered his fighter to avoid a volley of pulse fire. "Take lead of Red-three, six, and four. Then move to assist blue squadron, they seemed to have taken on unwanted company." "Confirmed Red-leader!" the voice in his ear transceiver replied. "We are heading there now!" and the two fighters along with one heavy bomber broke from formation in compliance to their order. "Good!" Romdel returned his focus to the next best course of action. "Everyone else, follow my lead in B-nine formation!" the other fighters moved into a pyramid shape, with Romdel's fighter in the front and the other two closely following behind enclosing the predominately red bomber in between the smaller vessels. "We are going to make a pass at Sith frigates that are heading in for the Virtuous. Red-seven, prepare your ion torpedoes and aim for their engines." Saliv began to point the small group for the designated target. "Do not fire until I give the order Red-seven we'll keep you covered." "I confirm Red-leader!" Romdel then took in a deep calming breath. "Alright then let's move!" with that said Master Romdel led the group of attack fighters into the mix of battle.  
  
Darth Lulet was defiant against Skywalker's strikes, never allowing the Jedi master's blade to come anywhere near his body as he aggressively deflected the blows from every direction the green sabre approached from. The Sith lord was swallowed in the Darkside of the Force as much as the skin on his face was dyed with tattoos. Yoda tried his hardest to inflict damage on the energetic Lulet, He advanced his speed with the Force in an attempt to overpower the internally tortured man but Luet matched Yoda's quickness just as easily as he had. Lulet was well trained, this Skywalker could tell but he is also inexperienced, young and brash. Yoda knew he could use this to his advantage, but how was another question. The bearded Jedi reached out with his mind, Chevacca was no longer behind him and Dorshe' was well across the other side of the Hanger, both fighting for their survival and their opponent's defeat. But Grem, Grem was unoccupied having already slain his opposed Sith, awaiting by the side of R2 to see if there was anything he could do to help without recklessly endangering others. Yoda locked his lightsabre with Lulet's as he entered young Venad's thoughts. 'Grem.a little help would be appreciated right about now.' he grunted as the dark being pushed away from Skywalker's lock with his one previously battered hand providing most of the strength behind that swipe. The tall reptile Jedi then leapt to the man's aid, realizing the lack of effort he put into assisting earlier Grem began to exchange blows with Lulet, giving them the upper hand in dazing the Sith lord's focus between the two Jedi. This infact only made Darth Lulet's strikes more vicious and risky even for someone who drew their powers from the Darkside. Grem and Yoda began to circle the outnumbered man, slowly distancing themselves from Chevacca and his opponent and even farther from Master Oden and Oiket who were now hopping off the walls in a floating display of sabre dueling rarely seen before, if not ever. Lulet's movements were now beyond either Jedi's sight of premonition. He would step in one direction and strike in another giving little chance for Master Skywalker or his vurk associate the chance to counter and leaving them no choice but to back up or push away their sabre clashes from the now ferial Sith warrior.  
  
C-3PO allowed the automated computer systems to take care of the prelaunch protocols. He figured that the best attend to the children in the lounge before he managed to screw-up some other mundane feature at the Millennium Falcon's disposal that might have devastating consequences with the golden droid at the controls. 3PO quickly waddled his way to the sealed room finding all the young beings exactly where he left them and in the same state of fear and innocent confusion. As soon as the door had opened their eyes were already peering to 3PO as if they could see inside his, but were disappointed to find that it was only the droid who had walked in. "Everything will be alright little ones!" he reassured, deciding it best that he redirect their attention onto something besides the life threatening situation that nipped slowly at their heels. "My designation is C-3PO, Human Cyborg Relations." he began to notice the bewildered looks some of the children shot at the droid. ".But you may simply call me by 3PO!" he humored trying to find away to break the now awkward silence his audience returned to him, then he did what he knew best. "How about I tell you a story?..." he talked. ".well let me see what could I? Ah yes." he then started glancing his sensor eyes from child to child counting each one for reference in his database. ".how about the story of Luke Skywalker?" some of the young ones had expressed faces wide eyes and slight looks of excitement at the name, the others weren't as familiar with the man. "A long time ago." they were about to learn just who this Luke Skywalker was.  
  
"Shields at ninety-nine point eight percent and holding Master Amtlar!" A voice shouted from behind the mon calamari Jedi who was too busy focusing on the battle at hand to worry about who it was he simply continued giving orders in response to what he could hear. "Make sure they stay above seventy!" he returned while taking note of the small task force of Sith frigates moving in towards their position. "Winjem." he rotated his seat to his rodian weapons officer, not taking his eyes off the open space outside. ".concentrate are primary Pulse cannons and arrays on those Frigates!" "Aye Master!..." he tapped a few panels on his weapons console using bright green suction cupped fingers. ".Weapons locked on target's vital systems." Baldos then gave a stern gaze at the smaller vessels that were approaching, as if they could see his green egg-shaped face. "Fire at will Winjem!" With the order given Noble Winjem then pressed the 'engage' panel on the console before him.  
  
The Virtuous then released a great volley of flashing blue and green balls of energy the flew across the distance parting the massive Jedi dreadnought from the three smaller Sith attack-ships. This bombardment crashed through the enemy shields and directly into the dark steel that embodied the hull of Sith starships, causing a few breaches in the ship's structures but not stopping or even slowing their speed to the Virtuous's proximity. The lead vessel continued on as the other Sith frigates followed behind and they were being pursued by Red squadron. "Red-seven, get ready to fire the torpedoes!" Master Romdel shouted into his transceiver as he began to push his fighter's engines to the limits, his subordinate loyally followed him matching his crafts' speed as they flew in targeting the engines of the lead enemy destroyer. "Wait for it Red-seven!..." a few more seconds and they would meet their target. ".wait." they swung in ".Now!" and the Jedi bomber released two armed ion torpedoes into the duel exhaust manifolds of the beast-like ship. The two missiles zoomed toward their preprogrammed designated target, leaving streaks of blue iononic discharge, the four Jedi fighters pulled away from the now exploding vessel their escape was slightly enhanced by the push from the shockwave of the blast on the fighters. Saliv could hear his cohorts sighs of relief over his communications device as they sped away to a safe distance. "Good job my friends." he hated having to crush their small victory but he kept his cool demeanor non-the-less. ".But we still have the fighters to deal with! The Virtuous can handle those two frigates on her own, we need to assist the other fighters with their ." just then a large jolt shook energy shields of Saliv's fighters. "We have three enemy fighters coming in at one o'clock Master." A voice echoed in his earpiece. He collected his barrings then changed his focus to the new threat. "I check, evasive maneuvers!" and the red fighters broke formation as the Sith fighters began to pursue each of Saliv's cohorts leaving him on his own. Master Romdel knew he couldn't just part ways he immediately turned his fighter around and pointed the nose to the nearest enemy that was tracking his fellow Jedi. "Red-two I'm tailgating your bogie. Try avoiding his attack as long as you are able so I can get a target lock on him!" "I confirm Red-leader!" the pilot returned as he began to wildly spin and pivot his Aries-Z5 to help confused the Sith controller in the dark jagged winged fighter for Romdel's sake. Saliv then wasted no time as his automated target tracking system gradually set the weapons to aim for the black fighter, it didn't sense him until the first blasts from Saliv's lasers flew past his cockpit, just missing his engines and grazing his dark hull. The single winged craft quaked from side to side as it gave up on trying to destroy Red-two, and was now busy trying to escape Saliv's pursuit, he obviously didn't know who he was dealing with. Romdel came in closer to the Sith's shield space, figuring the fastest way to rid the universe of this Sith was not to simply blast him out off the stars, but rather cause him to make a false move. Sensing the Sith pilot's anxiety rise as Saliv continued his relentless flight,he kept the villain's shield bubble only a few feet away from his own invisible barrier. Forcing him closer to one of the two remaining Sith frigates still heading towards the Virtuous "A little closer my friend." He murmured to himself as he tightened his gloved hands on his controller stick, he gave the Sith no choice but to go where Saliv wanted him to go. That's when the frigates laser defense turrets began to fire at Romdel, not caring if they even hit one of their own fighters. Romdel increased his speed, using the Force to push the Aries farther than it would allow at this limit, tapping the two shields causing them to bounce off each other sending the Sith fighter crashing into the Frigate and Saliv off into open space pulling out of the liquid flames from the vacuumed explosion on the starships hull. Saliv was then greeted by the sight of exchanged weapons fire. He unwittingly projected himself towards the bottom-side of another enemy fighter. Saliv managed to collect his thoughts quick enough to launch a volley of pulse blasts that hit the target, destroying most of its left side hull plaiting and sending the rest of the hulk to spin uncontrollably into another one of the Sith fighters. A small impulsion of burning metal dissipated by the suction of outer space just in time before Romdel's fighter collided with the now non-existent enemy. The Jedi master took in a deep breath of relaxation; he had to return to battle now after just cheating death once again. He spoke into his communications unit. "Red-squadron! This is Red leader! Give me role and your status!" he waited a moment as the varying voices began to chime in his ear. "This is Red-two, alive and grateful!" the first voice said causing Saliv to smirk. "Red-four, fully functional!" another replied. "Red-five, I think they chipped my paint job up a bit but otherwise I'm still flying!" then distinctly no human sounding words were spoken. "Red-seven here, reporting a miner shield loss but will be easily compensated." "Red-three checking in with no severer damage to mention." And the final pilot sounded off. The one female complied. "Red-six is ready and awaiting orders Master!" Saliv was pleased to here of all his surviving subordinates. "Good Red-squadron." he remarked. ".now if any of you aren't busy at the moment! How about we get back in formation and show these Sith what true 'balance in the Force' is!" "Yes Master" the voices jumbled in unison as they started to gradually form-up in their standard attack pattern with Romdel plowing his way back into battle, taking this short moment to sense something all to familiar him. 'Grem?' he told himself. 'He's close.' he glanced out his left side feeling his former Padawan's presence emitting form the immobile Sith battleship sitting in the great sea of outer space, far from the battle. 'Focus on the Force my former apprentice.' the older Jedi could sense the power to fight in Venad's essence '.Focus on the Force.' 


	20. CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 20  
  
Master Chevacca could sense Skywalker and Vend opening the distance between them. The wookiee didn't need to feel for his opponent's mind to realize he was growing tired, he could see it sweating off the Sith's pale face, the flashes sparking from their lightsabre exchanges were reflecting off the salt water seeping from his pores. The Sith was well instructed in his dueling abilities, but that was insignificant compared to Chevacca's bond with the Force, which directed his every move and used his sabre to deflect his enemy's attack pushing him a few paces back away from his own furry body, which was now covered by a partially torn blue flight-uniform. The disoriented villain, quickly composed his anger as he slashed his red blade for Chevacca's head, which was returned with a powerful gust of force energy emitted from the Wookiee's unoccupied paw, sending the human flying back even farther than he was sent before, but this time he didn't land on his feet instead he crashed into the paved steel floor on his thick back. The Jedi saw the Sith's weapon fall out of his hands and while his enemy was dazed by the fall, he wasted no time. Using the force once more, Chevacca pulled the black metal hilt in his direction, as it flew towards him by his will alone, the Jedi swiped his sabre across the cylinder slicing it in two. He then heard the Sith's grunts grow louder as he began to erect his body upright, Chevacca had his opportunity to strike his opponent dead, he took it in a great leap with his lightsabre pulled far over his head. He came descending over the sitting dark warrior. The Sith reacted quickly raising his right leg up with a swift kick at his paws, bruising the brown haired limbs and sending his sabre flying, only leaving behind the sounds of the tiny metal shaft clanging against the hull of the Millennium Falcon's until it became caught inside a small crack in the hull. Chevacca was forced to step back as the Sith leapt back onto his feet, they were unarmed, and still alive all they had left were their bare hands and their beliefs in the force. The Dark warrior crafted his hands into large fists that he positioned in front of his upper body, much like that of the professional hand boxed fighters on Coruscant. Master Chevacca accepted the pale man's challenge raising his own paws in the standard Jedi combat poise, waiting for the Sith to make the first move. The leather dressed man pounced for the Jedi's neck. That! was his first mistake: forgetting that wookiees have a much longer arm reach than that of the tallest human. With a quick jab of his arm, Chevacca ceased the Sith with his left arm in mid air and slammed him back into the steal floor instantly knocking him unconscious. He looked down at his disabled victim "You should feel lucky!" he moaned. "I could have ripped your arms out of their sockets!" he joked to the slumbering Sith. He then paced away from his victory, waving his right paw in the air so as to summon his discarded weapon to his appendage. The sabre flew through the air to Chevacca, he sighed with frustration noting the small pieces of magnetic wiring from the Falcon's innards that clung to the small device. He shook his head in all directions as he reignited the lightsabre, trying to find Dorshe' after deciding that Grem and Yoda could handle the other remaining Sith warrior. She was no where in sight, neither Master Oden nor her dark opponent were in the Hanger. Chevacca feared the worst, he tried to sense for her presence hoping it would guide him to her aide, no such feelings came to him he began to pace in the direction of the open corridor seeing that as the closest exit in proximity to their last known position, but he yielded this action by the sound of clashing sabres. Chevacca made a sudden turn, seeing that Skywalker and Venad wee now in a dangerous three way sword-lock with Darth Lulet, he then rushed to the two distressed Jedi. Knowing he was still needed here, Chevacca sped towards them with power behind his sprint almost a few yards away. 'Chevacca!...' Yoda entered into the wookiee's mind. 'Don't worry of us my friend! Get in the Falcon there are more troops coming soon you need to arm the ship's cannons!' Chevacca could hear the human Jedi grunt as Lulet forced him and Grem out of the lock. 'But what of Dorshe' Yoda? Shouldn't we try to find her before we return to the ship?' He returned. 'What if she has become.' Yoda cut off the concerned and otherwise rational man. 'If we don't stop those troops there might not be a ship for any of us to return too. Now please go!' Master Chevacca deactivated his weapon and ran even faster than before to the Falcon. Making a gesture for R2- D2 to get on board himself, together the droid and the Wookiee boarded the vessel and headed to the cockpit, leaving the battle inside the Hanger deck to continue.  
  
The Flagship: Virtuous lived up to its name along with every other ship in the Jedi Fleet, having defeated every ship that stepped in her path. Master Amtlar was pleased to hear that the Jedi had suffered no loss of life, but the shields were weakening at an unpredictable rate. If the battle kept going on much longer, the Jedi would inevitably be the next to suffer casualties and they have yet to face the entire Sith Fleet. Many of the larger, heavy battle vessels still remained mostly out of harms way, waiting for the Jedi forces to be weakened enough to make their final strike. Baldos Amtlar could not, would not let this happen, but in the midst of the great feud, curiosity struck the round-headed man as he shined his gaze on the ancient looking imperial destroyer that was positioned in the center of the enemy fleet, far from harms way. "Jhellows, See if you can identify that Imperial vessel in the Sith fleet!" he ordered. Jhellows then proceeded with a long-distance scan of the unusual craft. She soon began to announce the readout to her commanding officer as it came in. "The hull of the ship consists of reinforced high-grade miraxium." an alloy not yet created a thousand years after the Empire. " .the ship doesn't have a republic registry, or any truly identifying qualities!" that's when the Virtuous's main computer started feeding T'sa: old republic news feeds that the computer calculated were in some-way related to this unknown ship. ".The computer believes that it belongs to a Tagro Fett." "Fett!" the mon calamari almost launched from his command chair, but kept his composer should he have to make the necessary call to battle once again as his officers began to uphold their own duty well enough with out much need for orders. "Are you sure that's what the computer mentioned?" "Yes Master Amtlar?" she was befuddled, why was this Fett so important? She would question that later, after the battle, but one thing was for sure who ever it was. They must have a reputation that worried even the most stone nerved like Amtlar. She then turned her head to the now silent man "Your orders Master?" he then refocused his attention to his pilot and second in command. "As soon as we break through the first wave, set your sights on that vessel with all of our weapons at maximum yield!" he acknowledged excepting nothing more from her.  
  
The alcove was dimly lit, with the exception of flaring red and blue lights emanating from swinging lightsabres. Dorshe' didn't know how she had made it in this foreign atmosphere neither did Jiles for they were too focused on their own worlds at this moment. Worlds which were only populated by them, one where only two opposing forces existed: that of pure hate and unrelenting justice. Only one would walk away alive, and they were determined to be the one who survived and both Dorshe' and Jiles were determined on be being the one who would walk away from this fight. Which meant killing the other! Dorshe' swiped her blade down into the left, aiming it squarely for Jiles's forearm, but her attempt was met with the other end of his shimmering lightsabre. He used his evil weapon to push her back into a group of wall bound, heating pipes. She was caught off guard for an instant, as a surge of pain rushed through her shoulder blade. Jiles then raised back his sword, attempting to stab the Jedi in her chest, Dorshe' then collected her strength enough to brush him away with a gust of Force wind giving her time to get back up on her own feet. She then parried at his returned slash for her abdomen, she almost sneered at this target. Jiles took a step back and gave the woman an evil smirk sensing the slightest hint of her disgust through her powerful Jedi mantel. "Oops." he said in a tone of pure hideous sarcasm. ".I almost hurt the Master's newest prodigy 'to be'!" Dorshe' tightened her grip on Pacre's lightsabre, nearly to the verge of bending its steel frame as Jiles brushed the child's mind with his own, but was blocked off by his mother's protective mental instincts. ".indeed." he expelled. ".this one will be a truly powerful warrior!" that much she would agree with Jiles on. "Yes! 'He' will be!" she returned along with another parry, deflecting the Sith's failed surprise attack, and their private battle was reignited, the Jedi and the Sith outside the reaches of their world, still remained aflame and burning brighter by the minute.  
  
Red squadron was under heavy fire now. One moment the small group was attacking a large Sith battleship with the help of three other Jedi squadrons, when seemingly out of nowhere. They were ambushed by an outnumbering group of Sith fighters. Saliv gave his orders to take evasive action, parting with his subordinates once again. That's when all the reports came rushing through his comm. unit. ".Taken..d.damage." one voice shouted followed by another. ".my Aries cant.muc..more!..." Saliv veered his fighter past an incoming missile. "ejecting." He could hear the sounds of a lifepod launching off into space from its destroyed fighter shell. Master Saliv feared the worse, knowing they couldn't hold out much longer, unless the Force it self were to intervene with one of it's rare and powerful miracles.  
  
"Why Force! Why." Chevacca roared in frustration over the highly annoying situation he had regrettably was taking charge of. "I promise Skywalker if we make it out of this alive I'm going to tear this old heap apart with my bare claws!" the Wookiee resisted the urge to rip out the wiring of the Falcon's main control console. 3PO was successful in activating the pre-launch sequence, and Chevacca had complete access to the main weapons subroutines, but he noticed that the vessel's primary repulsors weren't ignited, and without the repulsors, the engines would never have enough energy to launch into space let alone Hyperspace. "R2!" he turned to the small astromech on the floor next to his seat having resisted the urge to cause any damage. "You've been on the Falcon longer that anyone. Can you do anything that might reignite the repulsors?" R2-D2 gave the furry man a few beeps of compliance, as he rotated his cylindrical body to point at the exit hatch then rolled on his tiny foot treads for the door. As the hatch sealed behind him the Jedi master, began to tap into the Millennium Falcon's defensive systems, simultaneously opening his spirit to the beings around him, inside the Falcon: he sensed amazement?, inside the Hanger he detected hatred and anxiety, outside the ship itself, he sensed pain and the will to survive, to fight. And somewhere, he couldn't tell where exactly, Chevacca sensed a well of innocence that began to channel the powers of the Force. Where it came from was as mysterious to him as to who was doing it, it seemed familiar, but still unknown as if they had yet to meet. Who ever it was, he could not dwell over it now he needed to focus on the present. Because right now there was a massive assembly of armed troopers slowly making their way to the hanger, and Master Chevacca would not let that happen.  
  
Lulet was testing the limits of his opponent's physical prowess with his vicious and even more dangerous sabre exchanges. Yoda was beginning to break a sweat and his body was capable, Grem's tussled clothing would be drenched in perspiration. They had to act quickly. Otherwise the two Jedi won't have enough strength to stand anymore, and with the presence of a large group of troopers pacing their way to the hanger deck Skywalker and Venad would end up hitting the floor one way or the other. Skywalker could also sense Grem's exhaustion growing faster than his own. Yoda had to do something to end this fight and now. But when he felt the force speak to his subconscious 'that's it.' he replied to the realization in an inner tone of gratitude as he opened his mind into the depths of Grem's mind. 'Grem! Keep your focus! As soon as I lock my lightsabre with his, I'm going push him over to you, and.' The young vurk caught onto Skywalker's whole thought, while he leaped up and away from the Sith's failed attack to cut him down. '.I understand!' The young knight then raised his three fingered hand pushing Darth Lulet over to the sabre ready Jedi master. Yoda, with all the strength he could find that he really didn't know he had and kept the tattooed Sith's weapon at bay. Then when he felt there was enough leverage, Yoda repelled the Lord of evil onto his backside as Grem locked his own green laser blade against the gleaming red shaft of Lulet's lightsabre. The time was now to strike the final blow, only it wouldn't be with lightsabres or the supernatural powers of the Force, instead it would be with a sound. Skywalker instinctively turned his sabre off and he placed his hands over his ears as Jedi Venad opened his mouth. At first a small broad tone filled Lulet's head then it was soon accompanied by a deep deafening pitch that could only be produced from the resonating chamber of a vurk's skull embedded crest. Lulet was pinned, the sound was constant and becoming unbearable to his feeble human body, if he let down his lock on their blades to cover his hands over his own head, Grem would surely slice him in two. His mind gave out to trying to assess the possibilities, he couldn't concentrate with that sound surging in his being and his arms collapsed under the pressure of Grem's sabre lock. The reptile pulled back from the Sith's unconscious body, out of his instinct nature to be weary of this ones surprising actions. The tattooed Sith, his chest moving to the intake of faint breathes was nolonger concious. Grem, as if he had been holding his breath for years, gave a deep exhale of air and let his upper body hang loose for relaxation, only keeping control over the active lightsabre in his left pawn and his legs to keep him standing. In his slump, the Knight took witness that Master Skywalker was still kneeling on the floor, with his hands over his tan ears and his head tucked between his knees. Grem then managed to nudge Yoda's shoulder with help from the Force, the human man then, surely but slowly looked up to see that his cohort was no longer roaring. He sighed as his hands fell to his sides when he began as he rose to his feet. They shared a glance to themselves then at their victim. Blood was trickling out from both of Lulet's ears. Skywalker's eyes widened, he knew vurks could create incredible and sometimes beautiful sounds with their unique vocal structures, but he never imagined that Venad's people were capable of projecting noises that could do.well that! "Wow!..." the word fell from Yoda's loose jaw. Grem was lightly amused, but not for long. At that moment the footsteps of fifty to seventy or so dark troopers reverberated from the open corridor. The two Jedi then raised their weapons to the defensive positions, Grem first, then Skywalker after he reignited his lightsabre.  
  
Chevacca tapped the activation panel on the Falcon's weapons console, having already reprogrammed the targeting subroutines.  
  
Master Skywalker and Jedi Venad could hear the Millennium Falcon's weapon arrays begin to hum with a burning glow of armed preparation. The black reflective armor clad soldiers marched into the hanger and just as soon as they raised their rifles to fire at the two lone Jedi, they were met with a full volley of the Millennium Falcon's pulse emitters, sending the Sith troopers either flying into the air or killing them with the initial blasts. The two Jedi outside the Vessel were grateful to find that there were no soldiers standing after the split second onslaught but also annoyed that Master Chevacca had to make it so dramatic in his timing. Skywalker then entered the mind of his Wookiee friend. 'Thank you Chevacca!' he then sighed with relief.  
  
'Think nothing of it Yoda.' he humored '.I still need you alive to help fix this monstrosity of a ship!' he grumbled, trying to hint that the Falcon was malfunctioning once again as he began to engage the launch sequence hoping R2 had fixed what was wrong with the repulsors. Chevacca still kept his mind open to Skywalker to hear his reply. 'What's happened now?' 'The repulsors aren't functioning.' Yoda injected before his furry companion could finish. '.is R2 with you?' 'I already sent him to fix it?' 'Good! He'll know what to do.' he ensured then turned to speak to Grem vocally. ".I'm going to find Master Oden." He said in a clear pitch. "Get the ship ready if Danger should present itself to the children, do what ever it takes to prevent it." he made his words crisper as Grem braced himself for his conclusion. ".even if you have to take off!" Jedi Venad bowed his head in respect to Yoda's order. "I understand Master Skywalker!" Yoda then placed a hand on the vurk's broad shoulder. "But don't you go thinking that means you have to leave without us!" he crooked a smirk. "Now get onboard the Falcon before Chevacca tears the engine apart!" Yoda then ran in the force guided direction, praying that it would lead him to Dorshe'. "May the Force Be with You Master Skywalker!" Grem shouted as he disappeared into the old freighter. "I do hope it is." Yoda muttered as he himself vanished into the dark corridor. 


	21. CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 21  
  
Master Amtlar never broke his sight off the Slave twelve. He led the Virtuous along with two other Heavy Battlecruisers: The Sunrider and the Trebof, directly through the enemy front lines of the Sith fleet in an intercept course for the old imperial Destroyer. Baldos was aware that this action might become more dangerous to his forces than the desired outcome of the enemy's destruction, but if history has taught him anything, it's that anyone by the name of Fett, is by all rights of the name, evil and a lingerer of the Darkside. After breaking through the Sith fleet's defensive line the Virtuous's shields had been reduced to nearly fifty percent while the Sunrider was near it's own limits and the Trebof had no energy armor to speak off, her hull was beginning to stress from it as Master Fuujis: captain of the Trebof, reported to the flagship. "Fuujis to Amtlar, the Trebof has suffered multiple hull fractures." his voice began to crackle and distort over the comm. transceiver in the Virtuous's bridge. ".I'm not sure we can stand another fight at this range." "Understood Fuujis." He exclaimed still staring out the main view port at the Slave twelve. "Take the Trebof into the safe zone. Sunrider close in tight with the Virtuous so we might unite our shield strength together." "As you wish Master Amtlar, Sunrider closing distance now...." As soon as the Sunrider drew closer to the much larger Virtuous, the Trebof began to pull out of the scuffle. ".synchronizing shield frequencies." a great bubble of energy then engulfed the two ships. "We're all set Baldos, just give the order." The mon calamari wasted no more of the Force's precious time. "Target their weapons and fire!" a barrage of immense pulse bursts and ionic torpedoes projected from the two Jedi vessels and into the Slave twelve's shields causing the otherwise invisible wall of protection to reverberate in a gleaming display of violet colored lights which soon dissipated to nothing after the initial shock wave.  
  
Fett, still clad in his personal battle attire, sat up firmly in his command throne as the Jedi unleashed their attack, despite the exploding conduits and sparking consoles that it caused on his command deck. "All hands on deck set you sights for the Jedi flag-vessel and do what ever it takes to help it and its crew meet the Force." His loyal subordinates gave no verbal response in times of battle they were taught to simple follow their orders, never question their superior as they counter attacked the Jedi's volley. And that's when Hell itself was released into the universe.  
  
Oiket was beginning to grow tired from his overexerted clashes with Master Oden. No matter how well he had managed to reach the limits of his powers, he could not weaken the Jedi with his attacks. She seemed to be drawing upon her powers from the Force but Jiles couldn't tap into that same strength, not as an equal. She was being assisted by another but Jiles couldn't pinpoint that individual. But he could sense the spirit of Master Skywalker gaining closer proximity and he knew he might not be able to with stand the two combined attacks of the Jedi Masters. So as he parried a blow from Dorshe', Jiles sealed the double doors behind them, in order to lock out Yoda from joining their private dispute. Dorshe' could feel the Force flowing through her body she allowed it to fully control her movements. Knowing she would not falter through its guidance. She was attune to the light, she did not know she could reach such a state during battle, even as a master in all her years experience she had never reached this level of focus. Something was assisting Dorshe's actions, she was sure of that much but refused to let her mind wander in this time of conflict. Jiles swiped his weapon for her head, Dorshe' then parried with her sabre in defiance of his futile effort. She returned his maneuver with a stab for Jiles's midsection, which he managed to avoid as he stepped back on his left side, indivertibly letting Master Oden's Lightsabre graze his left thigh and burning the skin near his hip. He didn't so much as flinch at the injury, Jiles used the pain to channel more power to withstand the Jedi's attacks before him, but he knew that would only last for so long. Dorshe' realized that She and Oiket were in yet, another different environment, not so devoid of a light as the last but still just as troubling to her that she was oblivious to this location. Master Oden through her body into her next swipe, leaving her right side open: for Jiles to counter attack. The Sith took this opportunity with a merciless slash to her vulnerable spot. Dorshe' then stepped her left leg backwards allowing her lightsabre to flow into a defensive line that blocked Jiles from his action. Causing his sabre to bounce of hers and slice through a small heating vent, instantly filling the room with thick dense blinding steam..  
  
..there was a dense smog that filled the main corridor of the millennium Falcon's deck. Grem had difficulty seeing much detail of anything in front of him which is what led him to stub his tri-toed foot by walking into a solid metal object. "Ahgh." he expelled as R2 beeped apologetically. "R2? Where is Master Chevacca?" He coughed. R2 then rolled towards the Cockpit, leading Grem to the Wookiee which it contained. Grem followed the astromech to the entrance hatch of the tiny control room, before it opened Grem could hear the muffled grunts of a frustrated Master Chevacca banging his fists against the incompetent consoles. As the door hissed open Chevacca suddenly became aware of Venad's presence, and rotated his seat to face the Jedi knight as if nothing before his entrance was going on. "Grem!..." he noted Skywalker wasn't by his side, but realized he had gone off to find Dorshe' then returned his gaze to R2 "R2! Did you fix the problem?" the droid gave a hoot of affirmation. "Good! Grem take the pilot's seat!" he barked. The vurk did such, silently hoping that what ever was wrong with the ship before was repaired by now. Chevacca ignited the engines; he was overjoyed to see the inertia pressure gage begin to rise but kept his neutral composer on his exterior among the other occupants in the cockpit. This was diverted by Grem's observation of the sensor readouts. "We have a group of thirty Destroyer droids entering the hanger!" "Raise the gangplank, activate the defensive measures!" Chevacca ordered. "We need to get rid of those droids before Yoda and Dorshe' return!" the wookiee Jedi manned the weapon controls that 3PO had used earlier.  
  
Slowly the Destroyer droids marched onto the hanger deck, unlike models of standard Defense droids. These Destroyers or 'Des-droids' as they are nicknamed, are from a time long forgotten. Their primary chaise is that of a perfect sphere with large treads mounted on two diameters around the body to provide their drive and direction of movement. Once the desired enemy or target had been confronted, the round ball of metal would extract its weapons and leg hatched to them, create a four legged beast with massive cannons and pulse lasers latched over top the thin limbs. Their numbers aside, the Des-droids would have made easy targets for the Falcon's pulse array, but the robots had something the Jedi didn't anticipate.  
  
Chevacca fired a few shots at the attack squad, taking out two droids before they could fully deploy into attack readiness, but as the volleys continued the Jedi's fire was deflected back by the des-droids individual shielding systems. "What's the matter.Please Force don't tell me the weapons are malfunctioning too?" "They aren't Master Chevacca." Grem informed not removing his large dark eyes from the readouts. ".Those droids are shielded from our pulse fire." The furry Jedi gave no verbal response, a simple grunt was all he could muster to reflect his emotion. ".Just great." "What are we going to do!" Grem said with concern growing in his words. That's when R2 spoke up with a notable whistle of attention. "What are you saying R2?" the knight questioned not having the benefit of 3PO's translation to clarify. R2-D2 wasn't going to waste anymore time to even try to explain instead he rolled over to the main computer: droid access terminal. Once there R2 released his interface latch and locked it into the small port. Tapping into the Falcon's communication's array, R2 used the codes he acquired from the Sith destroyer's databanks to enter the control subroutines in the Des- droids motor guidance systems. Soon after he accomplished this, the pounding sounds of the war robots onslaught upon the Millennium Falcon's energy shield came to an abrupt stop. The two Jedi then turned to the blue and white astromech, again Grem being the first to speak. "R2? Is to my understanding that you have control over those war droids?" R2 was still latched into the interface, but gave a discernable 'yes' in the form of a small toot. Chevacca chimed in with his own question. "R2? Do you have access to this vessel's shields?" The droid then responded to the Jedi via the falcon's view screen, so as to communicate his words with corellian text as oppose to his binary computer talk. The Two Jedi read the screen with full focus Grem was overwhelmed to see what the little droid had discovered. "You have all the shield control codes for the Sith Fleet!" The codes began to scroll over the glass panel. Chevacca acted instinctively to contact the Virtuous and send Baldos the information that would bring victory to the Jedi.  
  
"Master Amtlar." The captain of the Sunrider was calling out over the open comm. channel. ".We are beginning to power for our port shields requesting assistance!" Sparks flew from consoles as each particle of energy the Slave twelve began to pierce through the Virtuous's shields. "Understood Sunrider hold you position off as long as you can, break off when you can't take anymore of their punishment and." the Jedi fleet commander was cut off mid-sentence by the bridge communications officer. "Master we're being hailed by the Millennium Falcon!" "On Screen!" the amphibious Jedi yelled so as to be clearly heard over the small explosions that cascaded off the steel walls of the command center as the Image of the hairy face covered Jedi Chevacca, plowed onto the transparent metal view port. "I have little time for formalities Baldos ." The Wookiee roared in a hasty explanation that was repeated in a neutral tone that the translation matrix made of his groans and vocal stresses. ".I'm sending you the shield codes for all the Sith Battleships. Once you have sent them to their designated ships, have our forces target their vital systems and attack once you drop their defenses." Amtlar not accustom to taking orders in a long time, glad but still reluctant, downloaded the codes while simultaneously hailing the rest of the Jedi Fleet. "All ships hear this!" Baldos rasped. "We now have the Sith shield control frequencies, every vessel target your nearest enemy battlecruiser. Once their defenses drop you have my full disclosure to do what ever it takes to meet their defeat." Amtlar then transmitted the codes which caused all the protective shielding to flicker and eventually fall out.  
  
Fett almost jumped from his command chair at his eerie observation. "What happened to the Sith Battleships?" he exclaimed towards his chief science chieftain. "Apparently their shields have been taken off line Sir!" the chieftain returned not taking his stare off his console as ship by ship of the Sith fleet were either destroyed or fell to the Jedi's orders to surrender. The odds were no longer in Fett's orders this was evident in the Virtuous's speedy approach towards the Slave twelve. "Helm set course for Duconar, on a hidden jump path. ASAP!" he said in a rising tone of irritation as the Jedi dreadnought drew closer. "Sir, yes Sir!" the Helmswoman replied as she quickly typed in the corresponding course sequence.  
  
Amtlar was startled to see the Imperial ship vanish into hyperspace, seemingly teleported away from its place in the galaxy before the Virtuous could make her final assault on the only vessel in the enemy fleet with its defenses still up. The mon calamari faced his body to Jhellows. "T'sa, can we track the Imperial destroyer?" She shook her head in slight disgust that was broken by her emotional control. "No Master Amtlar, they have masked their plotted course." she winced ".they're gone!" Amtlar felt disappointment try to creep into his being, but he flushed it away with the call of victory ringing into ears through the comm. system. "Two enemy battleships destroyed." a human voice cheered. ".one Sith frigate disabled." another added. ".Their weapons are down Virtuous." a non-human voice filled. ".They're on the run!" Jhellows concluded as the two still functioning Sith battleships of the once grand fleet began to turnaround and veer off into the stars. Neither of which were going in the same direction. "Should we follow them Master Amtlar?" the corellian pilot inquired. Baldos looked to the Force for this answer, and while he did not like the response, he was to glad to be able to here it's reply to give a second thought. "No!" he spat dryly. "Let them return to tell the others of our victory, so that they might know what they will be up against when we next meet." Baldos note the twenty or so other enemy ships that floated lifelessly in the battlefield of space. The only activity that filled the stars now, where the still continuous exchanges of pulse fire between the crippled number of Sith fighters and the now avenging Jedi squadrons.  
  
Saliv was now on the chase, scaring enough of the remaining enemy attack fighters into an improvised ambush along with his new unauthorized squadron. The overpowered Sith didn't even know what hit them, and as the fire balls of their once sound structured fighters diminished into the blackness of Space along with a few Battleships that finally gave into the damage left by the Jedi's crippling attack. He would soon be no longer in the mix of battle for it had died down with the Sith fleet. He was wrong. "Master Amtlar to all active Jedi starfighters! Master Romdel please report in if you are still flying!" A voice rasped over the comm. "Master Romdel here, and fully functional." Saliv said as he pulled his fighter into a parked maneuver near the Virtuous. "Good! Now attention all remaining fighters." he continued having silently acknowledged Saliv's existence. ".as of this moment you are under the orders of Red-Leader." Baldos then dispatched Saliv's new mission objectives. "Saliv you are to lead the Squadron to the Sith battler cruiser near the edge of the system, our scanners show the surviving Sith fighters converging on that vessel." Saliv remembered the craft as the one he sensed Grem was on. "I understand Baldos." "Then you must also know that we have friends aboard that ship. Whatever those fighters have in store for it, we don't want them to accomplish." He concluded. "The Force be with You my friend!" ".It has been so far!" Saliv grinned. "Red-Leader to all fighters, ready your weapons and follow me!" and with that, Saliv's fighter about faced towards the ship-in-question and zoomed at the dark vessel as his new squadron followed.  
  
Yoda bolted through the hallways of the Sith ship, Dorshe' was getting closer with each step he took, and every turn he made but when her presence finally became close enough for him to end his frantic pace he would only be greeted by a steel door. Skywalker could hear the muffles of distress through the wall. He tapped the panel, nothing happened which meant he would have to make it open. Instead of reigniting his lightsabre to cut into the steel hatch, Yoda forced the control panel in the wall open, exposing all its inner mechanisms. The bearded Jedi then leaned down to grab a better look into the device so as to gain a better look inside, as he utilized his natural genius of machines to gain access to the next room but he had to work quicker than he wished. For he could feel the stress in the space beyond growing more as time progressed and in the mix of the heated battle, Yoda could not tell if it was the Sith or Dorshe' who was in peril. This only caused Skywalker to work quicker, silently praying that she would be alright. 


	22. CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 22  
  
Parry, backhand swipe, parry, parry left, then right again, left hand vertical block tight foot forward. These were the actions that unconsciously guided Master Oden's body, echoes of her Padawan days began to return to her now more mature physic as she fended off the evil Sith: Oiket. She was quietly in awe at her prowess, so was Jiles. If they kept this rate of dueling for long one of them would eventually give in but that seemed less and less inevitable since Jiles continued to gather his energies from the pain that was inflicted on him earlier and Dorshe' from the still unidentified source. Jiles took a stab for the Jedi's knee. Luckily for her, Dorshe noticed the move and managed to shift her footing so as to let Oiket's lightsabre plunge into the flooring. Dorshe took this fault, to abruptly introduce her right knee to his forehead, which then propelled his body into the air. A loud clink signified his landing as Master Oden parted the distance between them by walking backwards to the door she knew Yoda was on the other side of, as Jiles began to collect himself so he could counter attack. 'Yoda.' her thoughts projected. '.What's taking you so long?'  
  
Yoda was fed up with the wiring but he was almost finished. 'Just one more wire!' he assured as he twisted the red and yellow cords together. "Got it!" He muttered to himself, unaware that he infact accidentally activated the hatches blast shields until the thick metal wall fell from the ceiling and into the floor with a loud clang that could be heard from the other room. Skywalker was disgusted with himself. '.Poodoo!'  
  
'What was that?' Dorshe' inquired in an unpleased tone before she could propel the Sith lord off his feet once more with a gust of Force energy.  
  
'Nothing.' he winced as he frantically began to rework his mig-shift wiring to undo his misfortunate technical mishap.  
  
Dorshe' sneered to herself not letting Jiles have the pleasure of her frustration. 'Whatever it is Yoda, just fix it!' suddenly, a flash of red light streaked pass her face and sparks began to flicker as she returned that gesture with her own, only to continue the duel. 'And Hurry!'  
  
With that said Master Skywalker quickened in his movements, calling upon the Force to guide his hands with the faith that he would get to her before it was too late.  
  
Jiles pulled back for another swipe, but he found his attack converted into a horizontal block by Master Oden's superior reflexes. Sending the Sith to pace back into the open space provided by the relatively small room. Dorshe' held her firm stance against Oiket, defying his every attempt to hurt her once again. Their lightsabre's glared with fury in the small explosions that were created by the clashing blades. Jiles spun around Dorshe' in an effort to slash at her spine, but she parried him away along with an underhand swipe for his knee which only grazed his skin. Jiles returned the wound with another he managed to inflict on the woman's shoulder. Both completely unaware of the explosions that racked and shook the very ship they were on from the fighters outside still continuing the massive dogfight. Dorshe' flung her sword over Jiles's head as he ducked and swiped his own sabre at her shins. Causing the Jedi to leap over the Sith, using him as a stepping stool to project her jump farther up into the air, and flipping backwards into a graceful landing. Jiles's anger was beyond his control, and like an animal, he charged the Jedi master with his lightsabre pointing directly at her. Dorshe' then took a step to the right as the Sith plunged his weapon into the wall, just under her left arm. Dorshe' then released her free hand and powerfully punched her fist into his gut knocking out any air he might have been containing in his lungs. Jiles kept his strong grip on the wall-embedded sabre as his body flew across the room, this time landing on his feet, as he inhaled desperately for oxygen. Dorshe' simply stood her ground in the formal Jedi ready stance, taking this time to collect her thoughts and share them with the dazed Sith. "Where is your Master?" she said in a clear and almost threatening tone. Jiles looked at the Jedi with blood beginning to seep from his teasing smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know Master Jedi?" He sneered. "You the great Master Dorshe' Oden, revered Jedi, renowned warrior and ordained High council member of the grand Jedi order." He mocked Dorshe' with her own accomplishments ".only beloved daughter of Master Cialla and Noble Hodd Prynin." Jiles started to summarize her own autobiography, as if he reviewed it a thousand times over. ".And widow to the 'Late' Pacres." Dorshe' stomped her primary foot into the alloyed floor, but halted her actions, denying her anger and pain to get the better of her. She knew Jiles wanted nothing more than that. "Your husband fought as bravely as you do now." Jiles began to lower his weapon, another sign of his deviant manner of respect while he spoke. ".You should be proud of him. I on the other hand would take immense pride in being known as the Sith Lord who killed the two Oden Jedi." He chuckled as the shadows created by the lights that were subsequently blocked by the large pipes surfed over his horridly chiseled face, only serving to enhance his evil, dark smile. "Be thankful of your unborn Master Oden!" he spat "Were it not for him! My Master would have ordered your death along with your friends." The Sith made a calm patient pace towards Dorshe'. "My Master guarantees that he will make quite a promising warrior." She thought back the swelling of tears that glistened in her silver eyes. "I'd rather die now than have him stolen from me, especially from your Master" her muscles tightened as she expelled her words. Jiles began to chuckle his response while playfully twirling his lightsabre. "As much as I'd like to see you die! I'm afraid that will have to wait. Orders are orders and Mine are to make sure that your son is born to an upbringing with the Sith." His blade stopped as his larger hand clamped down on the solid black hilt. "Then I will kill you!" no sooner had he made his point, did the ship begin to quake as a large explosion erupted on its hull, sending the now aware Jiles into wild and frantic concern. ".Wha.what was that?" Dorshe' was now the one in the room with the smirk, her link to the everlasting Force, and to her brother and sister Jedi of the fleet gave and the answer to Jiles's question. "That is the sound of a thousand terrible things awaiting your destruction." She did a mock laugh that mimicked his sinister one. ".and it is at the hands of your own people no less." His hatred was channeled through his face. "The Sith have Betrayed you! You obviously serve no purpose to your Master anymore!" She keened her sight deeper into Jiles inflamed eyes. "You've already lost!" "SILENSE!" he roared, loud enough for Skywalker to hear through the set of steel doors. "You Jedi might have won this battle but you have yet to win this War." He injected, not breaking Master Oden's confidence. "There are more of us than you would like to believe. I'm not the only Sith out here you know! There will be more and now, with 'Him' in our possession! We will have even more than that." He gave a cold stale stare of evil and darkness. Dorshe' was confused for a moment, she did not know exactly what Jiles meant by 'Him'. "You have taken you last breaths Oden. If my Master has given up on me then 'She' has given up on your child. Which means your life is of no use to me anymore!" Jiles then pointed his blade squarely for her body. "Now die!" and he charged in a one man stampede of flaring anger as he pulled his sabre up high for a powerful swipe. Dorshe', more than ready for a return to the exchange, blocked his deaths blows. She noted that his attacks had become more instinctive, more deadly. Jiles had no need for Dorshe's life, and now he would make sure to insure her death. She parried the Sith's overhead strike, then swung her crisp blue blade of light around with her quick wrist reaction, into a solid lock with Jiles's red blade. Creating small sparks that erupted from the negative polarities caused by the two opposing lightsabres. Jiles countered the lock with a twist of his blade that slipped him free of Dorshe's distraction, also forcing Jiles to spin in his place which left his back exposed to the Jedi. She took this opportunity to strike at him from behind with incredible reflexes. But just as Dorshe' made this incredibly fast attack, the Sith had already strategically placed his blade far over his head, pointing down behind his back to parry the blade in his defense. The Jedi Master then spun herself in the opposite direction in an attempt to cut through the front of his chest. Jiles knew this as her next move before her blade could meet his flesh. He returned his weapon to stand against her blade in another quick parry to his side. Now once again face to face. Jiles glared into Dorshe's eyes, trying to install some amount of terror into her. The Hull was beginning to buckle around them, mostly from the battle that was diminishing outside, but also in part with the tension shared between the sinister Sith warrior and relentless Jedi Master. "You are quite skilled in the art of the sabre Oden!" he said through gritted teeth. "If only your husband had lasted this long." She let her guard down, in spite of Dorshe's upbringing in the ways of the Force. The combined suppression of her hatred of Jiles Oiket and the painful reminder of her husband's death were now released by the Sith's remark, and no longer sheltered by her emotional discipline. Which caused her tense arms to go weak enough for Jiles to brush her arms wide open with the force of his swipe and expose her now defenseless mid section. Dorshe' couldn't feel her body as it fell backwards off her feet. She knew what was next, the point of the Sith's red blade began to thrust it's way through the air and towards her abdomen. In that moment before the blade could make contact with her skin. Dorshe' could only feel sorry that she had to die now. Not for the sake of her own life, but for the life of her unborn Son, for all the bliss that would come with his arrival into the universe as she knew it. For all the joys she would never know as his mother, his first words his first steps the first times he would ever stare back into her eyes and all the joys of his own life, like sharing life with his own true love. She cried bitter sweat tears of a loss that was an event yet to be. Then she felt warmth over flow her being. But to her surprise it was no the heat of a lightsabre stabbing into her stomach. No. Infact it was the opposite extreme of any kind of pain. It was love. Pure immeasurable love, one that could only be channeled by the Force, but emitted from one who brought true pleasure to her life. Not like a friend not like that of a parent or even a lover. No. It was the undeniable love of a child. Her child. She looked down at her abdomen surprised to see that Jiles's blade had not yet even touched her body and also seemed to stop in its place. Dorshe' then turned her focus to her would-be murderer. The Sith warrior was frozen in his place, with his stern gaze still in place oblivious to all that she perceived. The Jedi noted that she wasn't falling, infact she was floating. Dorshe' was in a realm that defied her comprehension of time, a place created by the Force. She could feel her body as it was guided to stand on her feet. Her sabre still ignited was pulled into the powerful grip of her strong but slender fingers. Knowing that she might not have this opportunity forever, she plunged her lightsabre deep into the Sith's chest. As the death blow was finished, Master Oden could see Jiles's face, gradually as time slipped to the norm, turn from complete hatred and into utter shock. The first sound Dorshe' heard was the 'snap-hiss' of Jiles's lightsabre as it fell from his pale hands and fell before his feet and clanged against the steel surface of the floor. Jiles coughed his final words, for he no longer had a functioning throat to carry his true voice. "h-How -cough- did-d y-you." Dorshe' did not know exactly how it happened but she did know why. "I' am a Jedi!" She proclaimed to the dieing Sith "Like my family, before me and like my son, who will be!" the Jedi master deactivated her lightsabre, allowing Jiles corpse to collapse into an extinguishing sack of bone and tissue. She looked down to Jiles, feeling only sorrow for him as he reached out for her, not in a hateful lash or a final effort to take Dorshe in some futile attempt to take her with him to join their places in to collective Force, but like a small, insignificant and frail man. Who feared death. Dorshe' instinctively stretched out her own hand, sensing his open terror, but before she could clasp her palm to meet his fingers. His hand feel to the floor, lifeless eyes that rolled back into his skull confirmed Jiles's death to her. She felt sorrow, not for his life coming to an end, but because she felt no presence merging into the great river of the Force. No new drop that would ripple its endless waves. Such was the fate of the Sith and a horrid fate it is. The room shock once again, which brought Dorshe' back into the normal train of thought and the moment at hand. Then again, she could sense the panic that emitted from the vessel's crew it was not going to be holding together much longer. And again, the floor was in a more constant and less abrupt tremor, she ran for the door hoping that Yoda was still on the other side, but then there was a massive explosion which in combination with the quaking floor almost sent her off her own feet. Dorshe' shielded her face with her sleeve as chunks of smoldering metal were launched at her. As the tiny bombardment diminished, she removed her arm from her forehead and found Yoda Skywalker still at the open door panel, seemingly unaware of how the wall had been destroyed but gave it little fought when he Saw his friend was still alive. ".oops." he muttered as the woman ran over the flames left in the blasts wake, grabbing Skywalker by his arm and lifting him to his feet in a strong grunt of swift thinking. "We have to leave now, this ship isn't going to take this kind of punishment much longer!" She declared. Yoda couldn't agree more. "Follow me!" he shouted over the rattling hull platting before he and the orveasian woman sped off into the hall in a desperate sprint for the Millennium Falcon, which awaited them in the hanger deck. 


	23. CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 23  
  
The Millennium Falcon was ready to launch. Its engines prepped and revved up, its shields at full strength and its passengers eager to leave the Sith hanger before there wasn't a hanger left to escape from. Chevacca and Grem patiently, but less than they were a half an hour ago, waited for any signs of Master Skywalker and Master Oden. Hoping that they had not been cut off from their access to the hanger by the collapsing interior of the Sith destroyer. Their worries were put on hold when they received a transmission from an undisclosed Jedi Starfighter, but in all essence they knew who it was before they had the chance to respond to the chiming signal. "Red-leader to Millennium Falcon, Red-leader to the Millennium Falcon do you copy?" Saliv expelled via the subspace radio. Chevacca taped the open channel panel on his forwards console while simultaneously keeping a constant watch for his wayward friends. "This is the Millennium Falcon. What's the Status out their Master Romdel?" Saliv's voice reflected the fact that he was somewhat caught off guard by his friend's strait-to-the point response. "Well it's good to hear your voice to Chevacca, but I'll save the teary reunion when you get off that ship! Now what's taking you so long that hulk is starting to fall apart!" Grem answered for the translator dependant wookiee at his side. "We are still waiting for Master Skywalker and Master Oden to return to the Ship, he ran after her about an.." "There!" Chevacca barked, his furry paw like finger signifying his focus of attention through the main view port. Past the interior landscape of falling shards of metal and flaming wiring, lay the sight of Dorshe' and Yoda, running past and jumping over the hulks of discarded metal hull and trooper bodies until they finally sped their way up the Falcon's gangplank. "We've got them." Grem cheered as he hit the switch to seal the ship's entrance hatch way. "Saliv we have them I repeat we Have Masters Skywalker and Oden." The Jedi Master then guided the ship off the landing deck as Grem retracted the Falcon's parking struts. R2, still latched into the Falcon's interface matrix, used his control over the Sith vessel to deactivate the barrier shield that separated open space from the hanger allowing the ship no resistance as it passed through the wide opening. "I copy Falcon! Now get out of there!" he warned. "My readouts show that the vessel your on is undergoing complete self destruction. I'm leading my group away from it now, so you'd best follow suit!" Just then Yoda Skywalker and Dorshe' Oden burst their way into the cockpit. Grem looks back to see Skywalker rushing to take his seat "It's my ship Venad, you best let me take it from here!" The vurk then hopped out of the chair, almost tripping over R2 in the process as Yoda began to diligently maintain the engines so Chevacca could pilot the Falcon with enough speed to jut them as fast as possible. The old corellian vessel glided its way out of the Solid black warship. The space around it filled with flames as the Sith fleet including the one they had just left, were being consumed by explosions. "Raise power to the aft shields!" Yoda said to Chevacca as he increased the energy in the engines drastically sending it far faster than before. "Hold onto something this is going to be close!" Dorshe rammed her fingers into the wall paneling with her enormous strength as Grem hooked his larger hands around an exposed silver pipe. Chevacca then adjusted his seat restraints to keep him in his chair, but as he tightened the main loop, the leather straps snapped in two. Yoda would have chuckled at his friend's obvious look of frustration, but gave it little thought as he pivoted the Falcon past the larger falling remnants of discarded metal from the devastated vessel. Then, the Falcon became caught in a veritable inferno of liquid fire that washed over its hull like water passing around a quick and slippery fish, but just like that fish. The Falcon sped away from the shower of heat with a great gust of force ignited by the Falcon's engines in combination with the raging space fire. "WooooooooooWhooooooooooo!" Skywalker screamed in child like delight as the Millennium Falcon rendezvoused with the formation of Jedi war cruisers that began to fill its view port. Yoda turned in his seat to face his four companions, still embracing whatever piece of the cockpit that kept them in place. "You can all relax now we're in the clear!" he smirked as Chevacca gave him a tender pat on the shoulder. Dorshe' managed to remove her fingers from their steel niches as she embraced Grem in a joyous hug that he willingly returned while R2 sang a celebratory song of hoots and beeps. The blissful moment was interrupted by another familiar voice that filled in the room over the comm. "This is the Virtuous hailing the Millennium Falcon." it was the raspy voice of Master Amtlar, now in a more content tone to contact their own. ".Millennium Falcon what is your status?" Yoda tapped the comm. panel in response. "We're just fine Baldos, just Fine!" he smiled broadly then he remembered the children now contained in the Falcon's lounge. "We have taken on some passengers Master Amtlar, I wish to request landing permission to board the Virtuous." "What kind of passengers?" Yoda didn't need to sense the mon calamari's concern, it was quite evident in his words. "Children that were kidnapped by the Sith. No threat to anyone, just in search of a warm meal." Amtlar's tone grew into that of pure compassion. "We await your arrival Skywalker! Amtlar out!" "Setting a docking course for the Virtuous." Chevacca proclaimed as his paws glided over his navigation console. "Confirmed." Yoda complied. "I'm going to check on the young ones." Dorshe' said as she made her way out of the cockpit and to the lounge. Grem looked around, searching for one missing person, or rather one missing droid. "Where is 3PO?" That's when Yoda's eyes rolled back into his head. He knew exactly where the golden protocol droid was, and he could bet he also was aware of what he was doing.  
  
Dorshe' sensed amazement and wonder coming from the closed hatch that led into the main lounge. It was a comforting sensation. She tapped the entry panel before the door slipped open. The Jedi master was delighted to see the mass of young people huddled around a shinny man of steel, who began to finish a story of a long, long time ago. ".With the Emperor dead and the Second Deathstar destroyed by the courageous Rebels. All the people on Endor, including the Noble Master Luke Skywalker and his long lost sister Leia celebrated into the waking hours of the morning with their new friends the Ewoks. They danced, they sang but most of all." Dorshe' listened with attuned attention to 3PO's final words. ".They were free!" and the children clapped and cooed with innocent amazement. "And they lived happily ever after! The End" he finished as the children began to clap and raise their tiny hands, as if to ask a question of their beloved school teacher. Questions the mind of a child would truly want to know like: How big was the Deathstar? Was Vader really Luke's dad? Was Leia Pretty? The queries almost overloaded C-3PO as the children flooded him with their angelic voices. Master Oden could only stand back, her body peering halfway through the doorway, absorbing the untainted essence that the children produced in the small room. She couldn't help but caress her stomach in a manner only harnessed by a mother's love in a moment with that only a mother could comprehend.  
  
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The Millennium Falcon's gangplank lowered to the sights and sounds of a brightly lit hanger deck full of celebration. Jedi pilots and crewmen alike put aside their disciplined demeanors long enough to enjoy the presence of their friends, because thankfully no lives were taken away from them in this battle. They cheered and danced to the songs projected over the Virtuous's internal comm. system and once the passengers of the Falcon exited onto the main deck. The roars of excitement were only enhanced ten fold. The children at first were fearful of these noises but were soon embraced and greeted by the pleasant faces of Jedi healers that would take them to more comforting surroundings. Which they willingly hugged in return hospitality, only sensing the calm loving emotions they projected as a sign of safety, but the healers let the children stay for the festivities as they were raised into the Jedi's arms and looked on with the same amazement Dorshe' had seen once before. In the mists of this great collection of exuberant Jedi, Saliv Romdel managed to squeeze past the mob, to embrace his former Padawan: Grem. The Seven foot reptile tightened his arms around his teacher's bulky jump suit that encased his human body and raised Saliv high off the ground in a loving embrace. Happy to see each other alive and well evident by the tears held back in Grem's large dark eyes. Yoda's smile was gleaming through his thick blonde beard as he noted his two family droids waltzing along with some maintenance bots and several other astromechs. Dorshe' could feel the loss of felt for the stolen clone but he was more than pleased to see his Jedi cohorts in such a state of ecstasy overcame any pain he felt before this battle. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it slightly to act as some small comfort for the bewildered man. Yoda turned his gaze to her then slid his hands around Dorshe', following suit with the other Jedi in yet another sweet embrace as fireworks blew from the exploding remnants of the Sith fleet that filled the open landscape I seen from the open docking port of the Virtuous's hanger deck.  
  
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Deep within the darkest depths of a planet far from what it seems to be in its outer appearance. Evil still dwelled and remained at work. For the Sith knew that while the Jedi had won the first battle in this war of which no one has ever seen before, but they have yet to win this war. Bretew entered the dark room which contained his Master along with an armored captain Fett standing in front of a tiny stasis tube that was based in the center of the void like room. The door sealed behind the nitko as he walked to the side of his Master. Noting that glowing lights of the embryonic chamber was the only collective essence of illumination in the entire room. Lighting the figures in it and not even touching walls, creating an illusion of a harnessed void within which they stood. "You summoned me my Master?" Bretew bowed as the cloaked woman gave him and indistinguishable gaze under her black cowl. "Yes Lord Bretew! It has become clear to me that Darth Sadist is no more and our fleet crippled by the Jedi forces." She said in a tone that neither reflected pleasure nor anger. "Yes my Master. Two of our vessels barely returned with their hulls intact and have reported our losses. The remaining members of the fleet received the order to activate their self-destruction subroutines and carried them to its end." He concluded while turning his sights to the suspended being before him. "No matter, all has happened for its reasons." She turned to Fett. "Thanks to the resources of the impressive Captain here, we have what we need right here." Fett gave no sign of glory when he received this compliment, the two Sith could not even sense any real emotions from him at all, except a hint of curiosity. "I do what I'm paid to do." "And so you shall be rewarded handsomely" she expelled in a dastardly manner of humor. "I sense you will serve our graces exceptionally in the near future." Fett then removed his helmet and focused his eyes on the glowing tube with a stone-faced expression more solid than his own protective headpiece. "If you do plan to insure my services indefinably, then there is one question I wish to ask before I join your 'graces'." "And what would that be?" the Master inquired already knowing exactly what Fett was referring to. "Who is that?" he pointed to the clone suspended in the glass tube in front of them. "Ah yes." the Sith woman rasped. ".that is the key to our past and our future glory. And the fall of the Jedi Order!" Bretew concluded knowing his master would never say it straight out. "That Captain, is the clone of Anakin Skywalker, also known to the Galaxy as Darth Vader!" And for the first time anyone had probably ever witnessed. Fett's eyes grew wide with shock as the Master's voice filled the invisible walls of the dark room with laughter only equaled by the darkness of her heart.  
  
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Coruscant, at dawn, the cathedral of Jedi temple was filled with every Jedi that could muster their way into the great expanse of the pillars and stain glass windows of bright entrancing colors that reveled in the lights from the morning sun. Before the great conference of Jedi, Master Yoda Skywalker, now dawned in his traditional Jedi robes, made his way through the pews and up to the primary platform where he would address his audience. Not only present in the room, but those who watched from there homes and on the large monitors mounted all over Coruscant's great squares, especially for the citizen's New Ossus along with other New Republic and Jedi respecting planets. Already sitting on the main lecture platform stood the respected leaders of the Jedi High Council, including Master Chevacca and Master Oden who would finally be leaving for her home world after this morning's gathering, next to her stood Master Amtlar and Supreme Forewoman Antilles of the Senate board of directors along with her four other chancellors, garbed in their most formal of attire. Yoda finally reached the steps of the long expanse as the audience waited patiently for his deliberations before glancing over to see his beautiful wife: Angel and his two children sitting in the first row next to their family droids C-3PO and R2-D2. Skywalker also saw the tall blue figure of Grem Venad sitting next to his the astromech with Master Romdel. This pleased Yoda to see such familiar people in his company to hear his words despite how honest and truthful. for they were words he didn't take joy in speaking. He sighed before finally stepping up to the podium and called upon the force to guide his voice through this morning's speech. "Good Day to you my fellow Jedi and Republic citizens alike." he opened in a tone not displaying emotional attachment to the subject at hand. ".It is with mixed feelings that I come before you all on this day to inform you of our recent time of conflict." He paused as fly holo-cams hovered around him, transmitting his every word and movement to homes and public screens all over the galaxy. "Recently the Jedi had become involved in several incidents against a once thought long dead race of beings, known by historical records as the Sith." He paused again allowing all those who haven't been informed of this news to let it sink in. "If the past has taught us anything of these Sith beings. It is that they are a force not needed in the universe one of darkness, hate and Evil. All their efforts thus far have failed, but we are now aware that in this skirmish there has only been one reported casualty." His voice fell silent as he sensed the pain of loss wincing from Master Oden. "But despite our loss, they have suffered many more. The Battle of the Rishi-Maze signified two things that will ever be etched into our history. It having been our first victory against the Sith and our first official confirmation of war." Yoda bowed his head slightly sensing the emotions of thousands upon thousands fill his consciousness. "While many of you might feel this is a war that best be left by the Jedi and the Sith. Many of you should consider the fall of the original Republic and the rise of the diminutive Empire for which the Sith were responsible" The Jedi in his presence fed Yoda all the strength he needed to keep him from bursting. "But I have faith that we will overcome this threat. Like our ancestors who survived the Empire and even the War of the Vong. I believe that we will defeat the Sith." He proclaimed. "For we are a strong people and we will never fall to evil again. This is the age of heroes, a day were men and women of all walks of life can unite and serve to better all, for the overall good of everyone. All I ask of you the people is to pray for a quick and swift end to this conflict. For many of us it could lead to much pain, but it could also lead." Yoda paused for an instant that he will never forget as the ghostly image of Quinlan Vos, a Jedi separated from him by space and time looked him in the eyes. Reminding him of what he said over two thousand years ago. ".to a time of everlasting peace." Yoda smiled at the Vos spirit, which returned the gesture with a smile all his own as he vanished back into the Force. "May The Force Be with us." Yoda concluded. ".Always!" 


	24. EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE  
  
Dorshe' Oden watched the orveasian sunrise from the comfort of her stone carved balcony that led into her spacious bedroom. This was something she had come accustom to over the past seven months. Dorshe' would wake from her plush bed and walk out onto her terrace where she would smell the sweet mixture of her flower garden and salt water that blew into her homestead as the breeze from the shore entered the structure as freely as she wished she could. Because despite the incredible strength that every orveasian like she had in comparison to the average humanoid, she still had to bare the weight of her budging waistline with some effort. It was something she had not been prepared to deal with as a Jedi, but she would do her best to treasure every pleasant moment she could gather from her experiences as a mother-to-be. Over the past few months while on leave Dorshe' had received several holo-communications from the likes of Angel Skywalker and Majel Antilles on all the advice they could conjure up in their years of being mothers themselves. She took the information with an open mind, but she had a feeling she would never truly understand what she was in for. Another message from Yoda Skywalker, which was more memorable than the weekly news-feeds he would send her based on the council meetings in particular stood out to her and even the announcement date of the Old republic Clones hatching, which was strikingly close to her own delivery day. In honor of his devotion to the order and his tragic death, the Jedi High Council had commissioned a bust of the late Pacres Oden to serve as a memorial in the Great hall of the Jedi temple. Dorshe' was touched and she knew somewhere out there her beloved was watching her from the great Force, smiling at her with that smile that she fell in love with so many years ago. A trait she hoped her son would be blessed to carry on.  
  
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Dorshe' watched the bright orveasian sun as it crept above the lush green and blue landscape as the sky flickered with colors of purple and red. It was a sight that she would cherish and miss, but if there was one thing more breathtaking to her than this sight, it was seeing her son, her most treasured gift left to her by her true love, playing with the flowers and small creatures that dwelled in the Oden garden. "Aled Oden." She murmured with love seeping in her tonality. A name she knew would serve him well as it did his father's father. Only five years old and displaying an incredible attunement the Force that did not surprise his mother. She knew long before he was born that her son would make his place in the universe, and it would not be a small niche like so many others. Deep inside her being she knew that her son's destiny was intertwined with that of the old republic clones, for he was born just prior to the same day of their hatching and that in it said that he would be part of something grand. Aled had his mother's eyes and hair, but she always favored his smile that proved beyond a doubt that he was his father's son. Dorshe' had taught him all she could of the force with the limited resources at her disposal and he absorbed it well. While she was his mother and would be no less proud of him no matter how fast he caught on. The Jedi had to admit to herself that she herself had yet to grasp the skills he had until she was twice his age, and that was at the temple. Her dreams did not lie, someday Aled Oden, son of Dorshe' and Pacres would be a great 'Jedi' warrior.  
  
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Aled Oden watched the coruscant landscape from his mother's office in the Jedi temple, with wide silver eyes that seemed to absorb every detail of the glistening endless metropolis as the sun set over the elegant skyscrapers. He almost didn't sense his mother sneak up behind him. "I hope your day was well Master Oden!" the teenager smirked in a tone becoming of a playful nonchalant manner. Dorshe' stood beside her son placing a hand on his tall shoulder, for while he was only the age of twelve he was still somewhat taller than his own mother. "You are not before the council Padawan Oden, Mother will suffice for now." She remarked, not blocking the sensations of joy she emitted towards the news she had for Aled. The young man felt his mother's identifiable pride and turned his gaze over to the woman next to him. "What is it?" he chuckled. "I know there is something you wish to tell me so you might as well just go right ahead and say it." She smiled, not able to hold back her happiness any longer. "You have a Master, Aled you are now an Apprentice to a Jedi Master." Aled's eyes lit up, brighter than the Coruscant night light itself, but still cautious. "Who is my Master?" he inquired, which only made his mother all the more pleased. "A impressive knight by the name of Grem Venad." She stated clearly. "Grem is to be my Master?" he was to shocked to believe what he heard, but he remembered his best friends who as he was last aware were still simple learners like he was a few minutes ago. "What about Obi-wan and Mace?" Dorshe's heart softened by her son's display of selflessness, something that had gotten him far in his Jedi training, as she reached out to tussle his hair into a mess "Always thinking of others my son! They have also been given masters of their own: Mace to Master Chevacca and Obi-wan to Master Skywalker as he had planned so long ago." "What do you mean?" Aled replied with a curious tone and one brow slightly lifted. "Master Skywalker thought it would be an ironic twist of fate if he were to teach the clone of the very man who taught his own ancestors the ways of the Force." She smirked, thinking of Yoda trying to hop in the saddle of being a teacher after so many years of being on the Council. "Well I'm glad to hear that." Aled concluded. Dorshe' then pulled her son's face to cup in her hands as she looked deeply and lovingly into his silver orbs. Tears began to swell in her eyes, tears of pure joy and pride that only a mother could have for a son that did nothing but make her proud to be alive. "You are so much like you father." she murmured having drawn him closer to embrace her son in her arms. ".he would be so proud of you." she finished. Aled simply nodded over her shoulder. "I wish I knew him." "You already do Aled." she chocked back her eye water. ".he has been with you since before you were born." The sun set over the coruscant surface, having ended one day to make way for a new. 


End file.
